Green’s Dictionary of Slang

an itinerant tailor; also attrib.

1856		Newcastle Guardian 12 Apr. 1/1: How the New Coat of glory is spoiled by bad shears [...] Had Lord Pam and his ‘whip-the-cat’ show they were wise, / And employed Grey-street’s chiefs to have ta’en Sandy’s size.
1857		Dundee, Perth & Cupar Advertiser 15 Dec. 1/1: Patie whip-the-cat, the Tailor o’ Monzie.
1862		Elgin Courier (Moray, Scot.) 19 Sept. 6/3: Her son was the last whop was what would now be called a ‘whip-the-cat’ tailor, or one who had no shop of his own, but went to the houses of his employers.
1874		Dundee Courier 25 Sept. 2/3: There is no widespread desire to see working men at the Town Council [...] although a ‘whip-the-cat’ tailor or a ‘sweating’ shoemaker may [...] offer himself as a candidate.
1901		Eve. Post 23 Jan. 4/3: The old ‘whip-the-cat’ days, when the tailor had to shoulder his sleeve-board and iron, and find room for himself to work in any place he might be put.
1912		R.M. Fergusson Ochil Fairy T. 34: He plied his trade as a ‘whup-the-cat’ for fivepence a day and ‘his meat’ [OED].
1917		Aberdeen Jrnl 29 Dec. 2/3: Sixty years ago the local tailor, known as ‘The Whip-the-Cat’ [...] went from house to house.
1930		Dundee Eve. Teleg. 12 Feb. 6/5: It was the custom [...] for the homespun yarn to be woven [...] and made up by a ‘whip the cat’ who boarded at the farm while the work lasted.