herd cats

Meaning

Verb

• To attempt to control the uncontrollable.

Origin

• Formed of herd + cat, perhaps in reference to domesticated cats’ solitary nature. Possibly from the opening scene of Monty Python's Life of Brian (1979). Shepherds are discussing sheep and the topic strays to cats: "Can you imagine a herds of cats waiting to be sheared? Meow! Meow! Woo hoo hoo." Earliest usage Unknown, but the idiom is attested from the 1980s.