Cats may seem apathetic towards a lot of stuff but there they surprisingly have plenty of quirks which make them very interesting creatures.
We already know about their love for knocking things over, boxes, laser pointers and sitting in circular objects, but earlier this week one feline mom showed the rest of us that there is another trick that they absolutely cannot resist.
Danielle Matheson tweeted a photo of her mom's experiment involving a cat and a roll of tape and people are fascinated by the results.
Nobody has had a more productive day than my mother pic.twitter.com/LK6KX9KM1x
— Danielle Matheson (@prograpslady) April 10, 2017
Danielle's mom found a trick on Pinterest which claimed that if you put a square on the floor, your cat will be compelled to get in it.
After the success of the initial experiment, Twitter users began to replicate the trick and shared their results for all to see.
@prograpslady it works pic.twitter.com/GSMIpq4wfR
— becca👽🖤 (@beccastsko) April 10, 2017
@prograpslady Ellen Degenerhiss is a fan. pic.twitter.com/pOJ7d6T461
— SISTER HOEBOT (@TechnicallyADoc) April 13, 2017
@prograpslady @FluffyPira I turned around to get my phone and *poof* instant cat! pic.twitter.com/bkGDMFgtFN
— Trevalyn (@MarlyDee1) April 11, 2017
Some even caught it on video.
@prograpslady #nationalpetday pic.twitter.com/KroqTq4HJy
— . (@istalklouis) April 11, 2017
However, amidst all the excitement people have a lot of questions as to why cats are so attracted to the tape square.
@YasminStefaniee @prograpslady wtf that's cute but why do they like the square😂
— Eleanor (@eleanormcleanxo) April 14, 2017
According to animal experts, cats love squeezing into small spaces because it gives them some sense of safety and comfort. "We know that cats like safe spaces. It's possible that the marking on the floor creates some illusion on the floor that doesn't actually exist," said cat behavior expert Mikel Delgado.
Another expert, Nicholas Dodman said that being in the square could be a kind of swaddling behavior which cats exhibit as babies.
"The close contact with the box's interior, we believe, releases endorphins "“ nature's own morphine-like substances "“ causing pleasure and reducing stress," wrote Dodman.
@AllyCalii @prograpslady pic.twitter.com/1F6aMszbqY
— cassandra (@mendesmeatball) April 12, 2017
Cats are also very curious so getting in the square could just be a way of satisfying their curiosity.
"If you put something new on the floor, a fair amount of cats would explore it," Delgado says.
@prograpslady He almost resisted, but then... pic.twitter.com/cC04thBZsB
— Jen (@JeniNiquette) April 13, 2017
Whether you buy these explanations or not, one thing is for sure, cats are entertaining and the internet wouldn't be the same without their quirks.
Will you try this with your cat? Share your results in the comments!