use warnings;
use strict;
use Data::Alias;
use Data::Dump;

my %animals = (
	cat => [1,2,3],
	dog => [5,6],
	pig => [4,3,2,1],
);

alias my @cat = @{ $animals{cat} };

$cat[1] = 'cat';
push @cat, 4;

dd \%animals;

__END__

{ cat => [1, "cat", 3, 4], dog => [5, 6], pig => [4, 3, 2, 1] }

##</code><code>##

my @cat=(1,2,3);
my @dog=(5,6);
my @pig=(4,3,2,1);
my %animals;
$animals{'cat'}=\@cat;
$animals{'dog'}=\@dog;
$animals{'pig'}=\@pig;