Cats and dogs are, well, two different beasts. One comes from a lineage of solitary hunters, the other is a pack animal. That alone is bound to result in vastly different personalities.
And while we kind of know this about the world’s two favorite pets, you’ve probably never seen it in action quite like this before.
In a video posted to TikTok by pet tracker company Tractive, a pet owner showed how his cat stealthily followed along while they were taking the dog on a walk.
In satellite view, we see the dog (presumably on a leash with the owner) walking a fairly straightforward loop. Meanwhile, the cat’s path is a dizzying series of zig zags and loop de loops, seeming to stay just close enough to keep tabs on its family—while still entertaining its own curiosity.
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The cute clip prompted fun comments as it made its way through several other social media platforms, including X and Reddit.
“She is doing side quests!”one person quipped.
Another joked that “The cat is me when I tell a story.”
A few thought this was the perfect example showing that cats aren’t nearly as aloof as we think they are.
“Cat: I miss you, but you don’t need to know that,” one person said.
Many cat owners were inspired to chime in with their own similar experiences.
“My cat does this when we walk around our property! We don’t think she’s nearby & then she pops out in front of us lol.”
“Ours often joins us from the start. Peels off if there’s a better offer; rabbiting, rolling in a dust bowl, or ‘challenging’ any other neighborhood cats.”
“Back when I was a kid…we would take our two dogs to the field there to run around after dinner. Our two cats would always walk with us…One of those cats was a real wanderer too. It wasn’t uncommon for me to be playing in [the] forest, and to all of a sudden have my cat just sort of emerge from the bushes, nuzzle my leg for a minute, then bound off into the woods.”
The clip also drew some criticism from viewers, who were concerned that kitty’s natural hunting instinct was a threat to the local wildlife. One solution to this might be giving it a collar with a bell attached, though some sensitive cats might find this too uncomfortable.
Another option could be getting a kitty leash. Acclaimed cat expert Jackson Galaxy recommends that first time leash wearers initially get their cat comfortable with a harness using clicker training, attaching a leash only after that is achieved.
He also reminds us that “walking a cat is very different than walking a dog.” On his website Galaxy writes:
“You might take a few steps, then stop so they can take a few sniffs. A few more steps, a quick dart to explore a bug, followed by more sniffs, etc. From there, you might go into a little bit of a trot, only to stop again for more sniffing. Clearly, this is not the excursion into aerobic exercise that walking a dog can be , so be prepared for the slower, more contemplative experience of cat walking.”
If there’s any doubt to the merit of this advice, just watch the video again.
By the way, if you’d like to get our own pet tracker, check out Tractive’s website here.