Hello, fellow feline enthusiasts! It’s Ashley, your fellow cat-mum and full-time rescue shelter connoisseur, here to unravel one of the internet’s most puzzling and viral trends – Cats vs. Cucumbers! You must have come across videos where terrified cats leap into the air at the sight of a seemingly harmless cucumber. Hilarious? Yes. But, shouldn’t we be asking why this happens and if it’s really as harmless as it seems?
The Viral Phenomenon: The trend began blowing up on social media a few years ago. People started placing cucumbers next to their unsuspecting cats while they were eating. When they turned to notice the cucumber, most would jump high into the air in shock. Overnight, this became a sensation, videos flooding the online world, and our feline friends were getting their fair share of fame!
So, why does it happen? Well, let’s deep-dive into this:
- Unexpected Intrusion: Cats cherish their mealtime and are always on high alert. So, imagine their surprise when an unknown object (the cucumber) suddenly appears out of nowhere. Their instinctive reaction is to get as far away as possible. I remember placing a banana next to our shelter’s resident chonky cat, Rumble when he was engrossed in his food. The reaction was similar; a startled jump followed by a defensive stance.
- Snake?!: One popular theory suggests cats might perceive the cucumber as a snake, a deadly predator. The fear triggers their ‘fight or flight’ instinct. As a cat enthusiast, I can totally relate to this as I’ve seen how Whiskers, one of my rescue cats, is extremely wary of long and thin objects.
Is it safe to do this? The short answer is, ideally, no:
Even though these videos can be entertaining, continuously scaring your cat can increase their stress levels and eventually lead to more problematic behaviors. An extremely startled cat could even knock over items, potentially causing injury.
As much as we all love a quirky cat moment, as a responsible cat parent, ensuring the psychological and physical wellbeing of your furry friend should be top priority. So, let’s leave the cucumbers in the salad and let our cats enjoy their meals in peace!
Stay tuned for more riveting cat discussions but, till then, keep pampering your purring companions, sans the surprises!