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On the site for this year's Amazing Meeting, there's a little joke about how organizing skeptics is like herding cats

It's a common belief that (possibly) due to their strong will and independent nature, cats cannot be herded as say, sheep can.

In fact, the phrase "like herding cats" is commonly used to describe an incredibly difficult, labor-intensive and ultimately futile task. Of course this got me to thinking, has anyone ever actually tested this?

Is there any scientific evidence indicating whether or not cats can be herded?

Monkey Tuesday
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    Lol :) How do you come up with these questioons? :) – Lagerbaer Jun 01 '11 at 23:45
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    There's a temple in western Thailand where [this sort of sight](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/63/Wat_Phra_Luang_Ta_Bua.jpg/800px-Wat_Phra_Luang_Ta_Bua.jpg) is commonplace. I don't know if that constitutes herding mind you. And are big cats included in this question? –  Jun 01 '11 at 23:50
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    @lagerbaer Gin! :P – Monkey Tuesday Jun 01 '11 at 23:54
  • @boehj any feline qualifies. – Monkey Tuesday Jun 01 '11 at 23:55
  • if I could +2 and you had said Vodka... ;) – Ardesco Jun 02 '11 at 14:02
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    I've seen my brother's Bearded Collie (sheepdog) attempt to round up his cats. She doesn't have much success, usually the cat gets annoyed quite quickly and takes a swipe at the dog and the dog gives up. – Tom77 Jan 12 '12 at 13:14
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    1) Open can of catfood. 2) Walk around holding it. Cats who you have fed before will follow you around. Not sure this counts as herding though, more leading. – Nick Sep 05 '12 at 09:14
  • Here's the proof: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m_MaJDK3VNE –  Apr 29 '15 at 12:37

1 Answers1

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This paper I think goes into enough detail and looks at the possibility to train cats in groups which could be used to herd cats.

More recently, Electronic Data Systems (EDS) aired a commercial during the 2000 Super Bowl that impressed and amused countless television viewers. Cowboys were actually herding cats, thousands of cats, it seemed, though “about 60 cats were used, each with special skills such as running, swimming and sleeping” (LeSueur, 2000). The rest of the herd was created by computer enhancement.

As also indicated in the paper, cats can become attached to the person that feeds them regularly and will happily follow the owner around if there is the promise of food.

Here is a link to the video on youtube.

going
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    Cats can definitely be trained. I have an Abyssinian who thinks she's a dog. She comes when called, buggers off when told to, and knows she's not allowed to set a paw in the kitchen, so she'll lay down on the doorstep and watch me in there. – Darwy Jun 02 '11 at 07:45
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    Herding cats - not so difficult http://cheezburger.com/Cassidy/lolz/View/2054909696 – going Jun 02 '11 at 08:37
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    To summarise: There is a FAKE SAMPLE essay (Try saying "Polly Juana Cracker" out aloud) which references (a) a random cat-lover's web-site (who appears to redefine "herd" as "comes when call with an offer of a bribe") and (b) a commercial which fakes cat-herding with computer enhancement, and this is being used as evidence for cat-herding? Combined with a comment linking to a photoshopped joke, and we have an accepted answer? I gotta go with -1, here. – Oddthinking Oct 19 '11 at 13:53
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    When a sheep is herded it doesn't want to go in the pen, it hasn't been bribed with food or doing it out of love for its owner. It's doing it because it's (a) mildly afraid of whatever is herding it and (b) wants to stay with the other sheep. Really if the cat has been trained at all I'd say it disqualifies it. – Richard Tingle May 12 '16 at 11:19
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    I don't know. I have seen cows in a herd go though the entire milking process just cause that's what there used to. The queue up and go though the process automatically. They certainly seem "trained" if by nothing more then repetition. – coteyr Feb 14 '17 at 19:31