The phrase “herding cats” is an idiom that means trying to do something that is very difficult or impossible, especially when it involves organizing a group of people who are independent and do not want to cooperate. The idiom is based on the idea that cats are very hard to control and make them do what you want, unlike other animals that can be herded, such as sheep or cattle.
Some examples of using the idiom “herding cats” are:
- Getting all the kids to sit still for a family photo was like herding cats.
- The project manager felt like he was herding cats when he tried to get his team to meet the deadline.
- Teaching a bunch of teenagers is no easy task. It’s like herding cats sometimes.