If you say that someone has nine lives, you mean that they keep managing to get out of difficult or dangerous situations without being harmed. I was certain that one day my nine lives would run out and I would be caught — or worse. I think this is probably going to be the end, although he has shown he is a political cat with far more than nine lives. Note: This expression is often used to suggest surprise that a person has survived so long. Note: This expression comes from the saying `a cat has nine lives', which people use to say that cats seem to survive a lot of very dangerous situations or events.