walk back the cat

walk back the cat (third-person singular simple present walks back the cat, present participle walking back the cat, simple past and past participle walked back the cat)

1. (intelligence) To retrace events so as to determine where an operation went wrong and who was responsible.
   • 2007, Ward Just, Forgetfulness, page 110:

     Bernhard had been called back to headquarters for a conference, a general review of current operations with special attention to methods and sources, connecting dots while they walked back the cat, a dispirited and dispiriting exercise.

2. (diplomacy) To back down; to adopt a position where one is more willing to compromise.

• walk the cat back