Despite its gruesomeness, the phrase “There’s more than one way to skin a cat” is pretty popular. With origins dating back to the 17th century, it typically means that there’s more than one way to accomplish something…but what’s with the grisly metaphor? If you’re curious about how this morbid expression came into the zeitgeist, look no further. This cat is about to be out of the bag.
Meaning Behind "More than One Way to Skin a Cat"
The phrase “There’s more than one way to skin a cat” means that there are many ways to accomplish a goal and that one shouldn’t fixate on one method, especially if it doesn’t prove to be fruitful. There are less morbid alternatives to the phrase, like, “All roads lead to Rome.”