herd cats

Meanings

1. To attempt to control the uncontrollable; to attempt to manage a great many unruly factors or people to a single end.
2. Used other than figuratively or idiomatically: see herd, cat.

Etymology

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.