- An idiom used to describe the extreme difficulty, frustration, or near impossibility of managing, organizing, or coordinating a group of unruly, independent, chaotic, or uncooperative individuals or elements.
Explanation
Origin
- The phrase plays on the common knowledge that cats are notoriously independent animals that strongly resist being directed or controlled as a group (unlike sheep or cattle, which can be herded).
- While the phrase likely existed before, it was significantly popularized by a memorable Electronic Data Systems (EDS) television commercial aired during the Super Bowl in 2000. The ad humorously depicted rugged cowboys attempting to herd thousands of actual cats across a prairie. This commercial cemented the phrase in modern popular culture as a metaphor for managing chaos.
Synonyms & Related Expressions
Alternatives
Slang/Informal:
- A total clusterfuck / Cluster (Vulgar a hopelessly chaotic mess, often due to poor management)
- A shitshow (Vulgar a situation characterized by chaos, incompetence, or disaster)
- Trying to organize squirrels (Similar imagery of managing small, erratic creatures)
- Wrangling monkeys (Similar imagery)
Milder/Standard:
- Very challenging to coordinate.
- Extremely difficult to manage.
- A complex organizational task.
- Dealing with many conflicting priorities.
Situational Appropriateness
- Informal to semi-formal.
- Very common in workplace settings (especially project management, event planning, team leadership) to describe difficult coordination tasks, but also used widely in personal life (parenting, organizing social events).
- The inherent humor makes it generally acceptable, but avoid if the situation is extremely serious and requires a more somber, formal tone.
Misunderstanding Warnings
- Purely figurative. The humor and meaning depend entirely on understanding the stereotypical independence and uncooperativeness of cats when faced with direction.
Examples
- Trying to get all the kindergarteners to line up quietly after recess is like herding cats.
- Managing a team of freelance artists, each with their own schedule and temperament, can sometimes feel like herding cats.
- Organizing the family reunion photo where everyone looks at the camera at the same time was like herding cats.
Dialogue
Alice: How's the planning for the international team offsite going? Getting everyone's travel preferences must be tricky.
Bob: Tricky? Alice, it's like herding cats! Trying to get 50 people from 12 different countries to agree on dates, flights, and dietary needs is a nightmare.
Alice: Oh dear. Sounds like you need a strong cup of coffee... or maybe a whip and chair? (Joking)
Bob: Definitely the coffee!
Social Media Examples
- Tweet: Trying to moderate a live Q&A session with 100+ participants asking questions simultaneously is officially like herding cats. #CommunityManager #LiveEvent #Chaos
- Facebook Status: Attempted a group video call with my entire extended family across 4 continents. It was pure chaos. Delightful chaos, but definitely like herding cats. 😂 #FamilyTime #ZoomCall #GlobalFamily
- LinkedIn Post: Managing large-scale, cross-functional projects often requires navigating complex dependencies and stakeholder opinions. Sometimes it feels like herding cats, but clear communication and defined roles are key! #ProjectManagement #Leadership #Collaboration
Response Patterns
- Sympathy, shared frustration, laughter of recognition, agreement, offering commiseration.
- Oh, I can only imagine! / Sounds awful!
- Tell me about it! I've been there.
- (Laughs) That's the perfect description!
- Good luck with that monumental task!
- You have my sympathies.
Common Follow-up Questions/Actions
After hearing the comparison:
- Offer sympathy or validation: That sounds incredibly frustrating. / You must have the patience of a saint.
- Ask for specific details about the difficulty: What's the main challenge you're facing with them?
- Share a similar personal experience: I know exactly what you mean; trying to organize our book club meeting feels just like that sometimes.
- Offer (possibly unhelpful but well-meaning) advice: Have you tried using a shared calendar?
Conversation Starter
- No.
- Used to describe an ongoing or recently experienced difficult situation involving management or coordination.
Intonation
- Often said with a tone of exasperation, wry humor, or resignation.
- Emphasis typically on herding and cats. It's like HERDING CATS.
Generation Differences
- Widely understood and used, particularly since the EDS commercial brought it to prominence among Gen X and Millennials.
- Boomers and younger generations generally grasp the meaning easily due to the clear metaphor.
Regional Variations
- Very common in North America. Widely understood and used in other regions like the UK and Australia, largely due to the influence of the commercial and general cultural osmosis.