Humans often find certain animal behaviors quite puzzling. A classic example is when dogs chase their own tails in apparent frustration. Despite our bewilderment, animals always have their reasons for their actions, even if those reasons seem odd to us.
Among the most enigmatic and amusing animals are cats.
Cats are endlessly entertaining and peculiar creatures. They can be irresistibly cute, yet their antics sometimes leave us scratching our heads. The following video exemplifies this perfectly.
In the video, a cat owner catches his feline barking like a dog at something outside the window. The cat’s barking is so convincing that if you closed your eyes, you’d think it was a dog. But the situation takes an even stranger turn when the cat realizes he’s being watched.
Upon noticing his owner behind him, the cat immediately switches back to meowing, as if nothing unusual had happened. It’s astonishing to see. One moment, the cat is barking energetically, and the next, he casually meows when he sees his owner.
So, why was the cat barking in the first place?
An article from LiveScience sheds light on this peculiar behavior. Professor and veterinary behaviorist Nicholas Dodman offers his insights:
“While it isn’t super normal, it’s not unheard of for cats to bark. The arrangement of the cat’s larynx, trachea and diaphragm is similar enough to a dog’s that if they operate the machinery in the right way, it will produce a noise that’s like a bark.”
Dodman also suggested that the cat might have learned to bark from a dog:
“It could be that it’s imitating or ‘copy-catting’ a sound that it hears often. It seems to see something out the window; whether it is barking in response to a dog, we don’t know.”
As for why the cat stopped barking when his owner approached, Dodman explained:
“It does seem like coincidence that it stops barking and starts meowing when its owner comes over, but what’s really happening is that turning its head reduces the energy going out through its airway, so the bark turns into a meow.”
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The amusing video quickly went viral, prompting many viewers to share their thoughts. One commenter wrote:
“As soon as it got caught it just was all ‘I mean meowwww.’”
Another humorously noted:
“This is the evidence that the cats are undercover aliens.”
Regardless of the technicalities behind the cat’s behavior, this delightful video is bound to bring a smile to your face.