What is the origin of the idiom "like a cat on a hot tin roof" and when to use it?

The phrase "like a cat on a hot tin roof" originated from Tennessee Williams' Pulitzer Prize-winning play, "Cat on a Hot Tin Roof," which was first performed in 1955. The phrase gained popularity through the play's success and has since become a widely recognized idiom used in various contexts to depict someone who is highly agitated, nervous, or restless. The image of a cat on a hot surface, constantly moving and seeking relief, serves as a metaphor for the restless and uneasy state of the individual being described.