Harder than herding cats

Meaning

Used to describe any task that requires managing a group of uncooperative, distracted, or chaotic individuals. It highlights the futility of trying to exert control over people who have their own agendas.

Frustrated, observational, witty

Used in a sentence

• Getting the whole family to pose for a photo is harder than herding cats.
• Running this department is harder than herding cats.
• Trying to organize the committee was harder than herding cats.