General
herding cats
What does herding cats mean?
The near-impossible task of organising many independent or resistant parties.
"Getting six departments to agree is like herding cats."
Origin
American idiom popularised by a 1990s EDS ad campaign.
Frequently asked questions
What does 'herding cats' mean?
It describes the near-impossible task of coordinating many independent, uncooperative or scattered people, since cats notoriously refuse to be herded.
Where does the phrase come from?
It's an American idiom that was widely popularised by a memorable 1990s EDS advertising campaign showing cowboys herding cats.
How do you use it?
Usually to describe a frustrating coordination challenge, e.g. 'Managing all these freelancers is like herding cats.'
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