walk the cat back

1. To conduct a thorough investigation or review of some process or sequence of events in order, as to discover its origin, the means by which it occurred, etc. Being a spy means learning how to walk the cat back—to trace back who said what to whom, at what location, at what time, and piece together how it all fits together into the greater political narrative. Their financial practices are so convoluted that it's almost impossible to spot legal infractions. But a talented auditor will be able to walk the cat back from a tax filing and see exactly where the accounts diverge.

2. To return to a previous state or condition by reversing or undoing an action or its effects. Usually used to indicate some action that is very difficult or impossible to undo. At first the small country was eager to establish a trade agreement with its more powerful northern neighbor, but now that it finds the deal becoming more of a burden than a boon, it has been attempting to walk the cat back. Under its new management, the company is trying to walk the cat back and shed the problematic political agendas of its former CEO.