Cat Watching a Horror Movie
May 25, 2016 7:37 PM Subscribe
One of my psychic-comfort-food ways of unwinding is watching Chopped on my laptop. My very sweet, not-too-bright cat often curls up between my ribs and my elbow during Chopped sessions.
Many a mystery ingredient has been stalked and pounced at, my friends. Cooking shows are as good as bird or squirrel (or horror) videos with some cats.
posted by mudpuppie at 7:46 PM on May 25, 2016 [5 favorites]
Many a mystery ingredient has been stalked and pounced at, my friends. Cooking shows are as good as bird or squirrel (or horror) videos with some cats.
posted by mudpuppie at 7:46 PM on May 25, 2016 [5 favorites]
On This American Life years ago, they did a segment about some company that was marketing TV for cats to watch while their humans were away. Footage of chirping birds, etc. Ira Glass half-seriously asked a company rep if they'd considered other genres, like thrillers. The example he gave was something like a cat being held over a tub of water. Glass and the rep shared a chuckle over the idea.
But judging by this little fellow, it would appear that Psycho works very well as a cat-thriller.
posted by Ursula Hitler at 7:49 PM on May 25, 2016 [3 favorites]
But judging by this little fellow, it would appear that Psycho works very well as a cat-thriller.
posted by Ursula Hitler at 7:49 PM on May 25, 2016 [3 favorites]
um, this is definitely best of the web. love this.
posted by zutalors! at 7:59 PM on May 25, 2016 [3 favorites]
posted by zutalors! at 7:59 PM on May 25, 2016 [3 favorites]
Pretty sure someone is swiping something in front of that cat. Those are "I'm gonna play" signals that kitty is giving off.
Still, a wonderful, charming video.
posted by Imperfect at 8:14 PM on May 25, 2016 [4 favorites]
Still, a wonderful, charming video.
posted by Imperfect at 8:14 PM on May 25, 2016 [4 favorites]
Unless it's very quick, that cat doesn't blink for nearly a minute. Is that common, when suitably interested/wary/hunting?
posted by figurant at 8:25 PM on May 25, 2016 [1 favorite]
posted by figurant at 8:25 PM on May 25, 2016 [1 favorite]
On This American Life years ago, they did a segment about some company that was marketing TV for cats to watch while their humans were away.
Programming for cats, you say?
posted by JaredSeth at 8:27 PM on May 25, 2016 [1 favorite]
Programming for cats, you say?
posted by JaredSeth at 8:27 PM on May 25, 2016 [1 favorite]
One of my cats is obsessed with Terry Bradshaw's big damn bald head. Nothing for a year, then it's Superbowl season and Bradshaw does the rounds of late night shows and my cat who normally ignores the TV sits right in front of it, tail lashing, periodically swatting at Terry Bradshaw's big damn bald head. No idea why.
My other cat likes trying to catch the short track speed skaters during the Winter Olympics, but that makes more sense as catertainment.
posted by Eyebrows McGee at 8:31 PM on May 25, 2016 [22 favorites]
My other cat likes trying to catch the short track speed skaters during the Winter Olympics, but that makes more sense as catertainment.
posted by Eyebrows McGee at 8:31 PM on May 25, 2016 [22 favorites]
what marvelous eyes!
posted by karayel at 8:36 PM on May 25, 2016 [3 favorites]
posted by karayel at 8:36 PM on May 25, 2016 [3 favorites]
My cat liked watching the Republican debates. Just those, and just until Marco Rubio dropped out.
posted by zutalors! at 8:42 PM on May 25, 2016 [12 favorites]
posted by zutalors! at 8:42 PM on May 25, 2016 [12 favorites]
My cat likes it when the squeaky rats eat the corpses on Criminal Minds.
posted by Jacqueline at 8:56 PM on May 25, 2016 [2 favorites]
posted by Jacqueline at 8:56 PM on May 25, 2016 [2 favorites]
Just what it says. A cat. Watching a movie. Belonging to the horror film genre.
Or a cat watching a laser pointer set to a horror movie soundtrack. That cat looks like it wants to hunt/play. Or maybe I'm just too cynical about viral videos.
Cute cat though.
posted by dazed_one at 9:06 PM on May 25, 2016 [4 favorites]
Or a cat watching a laser pointer set to a horror movie soundtrack. That cat looks like it wants to hunt/play. Or maybe I'm just too cynical about viral videos.
Cute cat though.
posted by dazed_one at 9:06 PM on May 25, 2016 [4 favorites]
Sorry, I thought it was kinda a given that the cat wasn't actually watching a horror movie.
posted by bologna on wry at 9:13 PM on May 25, 2016 [8 favorites]
posted by bologna on wry at 9:13 PM on May 25, 2016 [8 favorites]
Sorry to dead goat, but this cat died shortly after the video ends. Deeply tragic and NOT cute.
posted by naju at 9:22 PM on May 25, 2016 [13 favorites]
posted by naju at 9:22 PM on May 25, 2016 [13 favorites]
jk this is adorable
posted by naju at 9:26 PM on May 25, 2016 [3 favorites]
posted by naju at 9:26 PM on May 25, 2016 [3 favorites]
On This American Life years ago, they did a segment about some company that was marketing TV for cats to watch while their humans were away.
You can find this on YouTube by searching for "TV for cats" or "entertainment for cats"! My cats are particularly fond of Winter Birds.
posted by Anonymous at 9:26 PM on May 25, 2016
You can find this on YouTube by searching for "TV for cats" or "entertainment for cats"! My cats are particularly fond of Winter Birds.
posted by Anonymous at 9:26 PM on May 25, 2016
Sorry, I thought it was kinda a given that the cat wasn't actually watching a horror movie.--bologna on wry
In other words, not what it says on the tin.
posted by eye of newt at 9:46 PM on May 25, 2016 [1 favorite]
In other words, not what it says on the tin.
posted by eye of newt at 9:46 PM on May 25, 2016 [1 favorite]
My cat doesn't normally pay much attention to what's going on on the screen of my laptop, but one night when we were watching John Oliver's Last Week Tonight, they played a two-second clip of a bunch of mice scurrying about. Trilby hurled himself at the screen, but by the time he got there the mice had disappeared. Trilby then spent three minutes looking around and behind my laptop, trying to figure out where the mice had gone, and when he couldn't find them, he repeatedly slapped John Oliver in the face. I love John Oliver, but Trilby basically considers him a manipulative bastard.
posted by orange swan at 9:49 PM on May 25, 2016 [28 favorites]
posted by orange swan at 9:49 PM on May 25, 2016 [28 favorites]
My cat runs out of the room, or behind something safe when she thinks cars, trains or horses are going to come out of the tv at her. Reminds me of the (apocryphal?) story re: early audiences and "The Arrival of a Train."
The cat does enjoy cartoons (Hint: "Beep beep!") She's also sometimes interested in Jeopardy, although it can scare her too.
posted by NorthernLite at 10:09 PM on May 25, 2016 [3 favorites]
The cat does enjoy cartoons (Hint: "Beep beep!") She's also sometimes interested in Jeopardy, although it can scare her too.
posted by NorthernLite at 10:09 PM on May 25, 2016 [3 favorites]
Indeed, eye of newt, it is not an actual cat watching an actual horror movie. It is a clip of a young cat eyeing and/or hunting something outside of the frame, its face expressing a growing state of heightened alert. It is cut with some audio of a horror movie to make it seem like the cat is actually reacting to the scenes in a scary movie.
I hope this helps clear things up, and I apologize if I unintentionally misled anyone with the wording of my post.
posted by bologna on wry at 10:11 PM on May 25, 2016 [4 favorites]
I hope this helps clear things up, and I apologize if I unintentionally misled anyone with the wording of my post.
posted by bologna on wry at 10:11 PM on May 25, 2016 [4 favorites]
Not to derail, but my family had a little terrier who would pretty much totally ignore the TV. If I put in some Beavis & Butthead on VHS or DVD, however, then that sweet little dog was glued to the front of the TV for the first 10 or so episodes that it saw. Watching it happen was really strange.
The dog also really took notice of John Lennon singing Imagine when he hit the really high notes (audio only, in this case).
I sure miss my buddy.
posted by InsertNiftyNameHere at 10:47 PM on May 25, 2016 [3 favorites]
The dog also really took notice of John Lennon singing Imagine when he hit the really high notes (audio only, in this case).
I sure miss my buddy.
posted by InsertNiftyNameHere at 10:47 PM on May 25, 2016 [3 favorites]
One of our cats is obsessed with the bumper from the Magical Elves production company, which comes on after episodes of Top Chef or Project Runway. It's a little high-pitched elf spinning around. The cat treats it like the pigeons on the roof next door -- he makes that weird chattering cat noise at it. He will even do this when he is ostensibly asleep -- chatter at the TV.
posted by gingerbeer at 10:51 PM on May 25, 2016 [3 favorites]
posted by gingerbeer at 10:51 PM on May 25, 2016 [3 favorites]
bologna, don't apologize. This is the greatest cat video I have ever seen, because THOSE EYES.
posted by lunasol at 10:59 PM on May 25, 2016 [6 favorites]
posted by lunasol at 10:59 PM on May 25, 2016 [6 favorites]
Well, this is pretty much how I watch horror movies, too.
posted by andreinla at 11:06 PM on May 25, 2016
posted by andreinla at 11:06 PM on May 25, 2016
The red bouncy critter... it's coming from inside the stick thingy!!
posted by Atom Eyes at 11:42 PM on May 25, 2016 [5 favorites]
posted by Atom Eyes at 11:42 PM on May 25, 2016 [5 favorites]
My cat likes House of Cards, for some reason. That titles music gets her butt twitching.
posted by Coda Tronca at 12:13 AM on May 26, 2016 [2 favorites]
posted by Coda Tronca at 12:13 AM on May 26, 2016 [2 favorites]
I like to imagine that the cat is taken by surprise while philosophizing about scale and food. Like, "I occasionally maim a mouse. That's nothing, it's tiny. What I'm seeing here is someone slashing a whole armada of humans, that's actually disgusting, let's settle and watch. Will there be leftovers for me? .... Oh something creepy. Hmm... SHRIEKS?! RUN!"
posted by Namlit at 12:33 AM on May 26, 2016
posted by Namlit at 12:33 AM on May 26, 2016
One of my cats is fascinated by our flatscreen TV, but only when it's off. We call it worshipping the monolith.
posted by happyroach at 1:01 AM on May 26, 2016 [9 favorites]
posted by happyroach at 1:01 AM on May 26, 2016 [9 favorites]
One of my cats seems to really like Turner Classic Movies, especially black and white noir movies from many decades ago.
She's also been known to actively watch other shows, although that's the only genre that I have been able to suss out of her viewing habits.
This was not a cat watching television. But it was super cute, and I chuckled while watching. Thanks!
posted by hippybear at 1:17 AM on May 26, 2016 [1 favorite]
She's also been known to actively watch other shows, although that's the only genre that I have been able to suss out of her viewing habits.
This was not a cat watching television. But it was super cute, and I chuckled while watching. Thanks!
posted by hippybear at 1:17 AM on May 26, 2016 [1 favorite]
I hope this helps clear things up, and I apologize if I unintentionally misled anyone with the wording of my post.
Well, I lost a lot of money wagering on this, so yeah, my bad. I have since learned that this isn't an actual thing you can bet on.
posted by krinklyfig at 2:34 AM on May 26, 2016 [1 favorite]
Well, I lost a lot of money wagering on this, so yeah, my bad. I have since learned that this isn't an actual thing you can bet on.
posted by krinklyfig at 2:34 AM on May 26, 2016 [1 favorite]
Mr. Frisky, the large black beast, likes to sit and watch horror movies with me. When something bad happens to a cat onscreen, I cover his eyes.
posted by Faint of Butt at 4:50 AM on May 26, 2016 [1 favorite]
posted by Faint of Butt at 4:50 AM on May 26, 2016 [1 favorite]
One of my cats really likes America's Funniest Videos. I think she just likes to see humans fall down and get hurt.
posted by uncleozzy at 4:59 AM on May 26, 2016 [2 favorites]
posted by uncleozzy at 4:59 AM on May 26, 2016 [2 favorites]
I used to have a snake that liked to watch LA Law. Got active at the sound of the music over the opening credits.
posted by yellowdog at 5:04 AM on May 26, 2016 [1 favorite]
posted by yellowdog at 5:04 AM on May 26, 2016 [1 favorite]
PSYCHO-KITTY
posted by rmd1023 at 5:39 AM on May 26, 2016 [1 favorite]
posted by rmd1023 at 5:39 AM on May 26, 2016 [1 favorite]
Sorry, I thought it was kinda a given that the cat wasn't actually watching a horror movie.
Whereas I can believe that this cat honestly is watching Alien, and is straight up legit concerned with whether Jonesy is going to make it to the end: 1, 2, 3.
posted by radwolf76 at 6:26 AM on May 26, 2016 [2 favorites]
Whereas I can believe that this cat honestly is watching Alien, and is straight up legit concerned with whether Jonesy is going to make it to the end: 1, 2, 3.
posted by radwolf76 at 6:26 AM on May 26, 2016 [2 favorites]
Has anyone tried showing a cat the Secret of NIMH?
posted by Abehammerb Lincoln at 8:34 AM on May 26, 2016
posted by Abehammerb Lincoln at 8:34 AM on May 26, 2016
zutalors!: "My cat liked watching the Republican debates. Just those, and just until Marco Rubio dropped out."
Understandable. Cats are fascinated by small, helpless animals.
posted by caution live frogs at 10:08 AM on May 26, 2016 [13 favorites]
Understandable. Cats are fascinated by small, helpless animals.
posted by caution live frogs at 10:08 AM on May 26, 2016 [13 favorites]
He also liked Trump, but then again they're both orange.
posted by zutalors! at 10:09 AM on May 26, 2016 [2 favorites]
posted by zutalors! at 10:09 AM on May 26, 2016 [2 favorites]
Fur-fur-fur, fur fur fur fur fur-ball, Gonna,
Run, run, run - run run ruuuun and playyyy!!!!
posted by quinndexter at 4:46 PM on May 26, 2016 [3 favorites]
Run, run, run - run run ruuuun and playyyy!!!!
posted by quinndexter at 4:46 PM on May 26, 2016 [3 favorites]
Terry Bradshaw's big damn bald head
Oh, nothing. Just wanted to repeat that phrase.
posted by mudpuppie at 6:23 PM on May 26, 2016 [2 favorites]
Oh, nothing. Just wanted to repeat that phrase.
posted by mudpuppie at 6:23 PM on May 26, 2016 [2 favorites]
When I was growing up, we had an exceptionally good-tempered but rather silly Golden Retriever who loved every other dog she ever saw — literally, almost uncannily, every single one — except dogs on the telly. There was something about the way those preening, self-satisfied Groucho Club wankers would burst onto the screen that got right up her nose, and she would bark furiously at them until either they vanished or we changed the channel.
Heh, animals, amirite?
posted by Zeinab Badawi's Twenty Hotels at 10:03 AM on May 27, 2016
Heh, animals, amirite?
posted by Zeinab Badawi's Twenty Hotels at 10:03 AM on May 27, 2016
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