You know the scene: our hero has gotten himself into quite the pickle, and is now precariously navigating the razor ledge of some highrise somewhere, attempting (and probably succeeding) at lithely sidestepping danger and narrowly escaping sure demise. Or, he’s your cat, and he’s somehow managed to get himself stuck at the top of your shower door.
Because, of course. TikTok user Becky Weldon Fisher, aka @renomnca, found her feline in precisely this predicament and captured it on camera for our entertainment. We love how the shower door slowly opens with her cat’s legs splayed on either side, requiring a (quite graceful, if we do say so) performance of the splits by the cat. When the kitty can no longer hold this position, it’s time for the predictable next move from every action movie ever: the desperate grip on the ledge. You hear the cat’s pet parent (presumably Becky) say ‘push’ at one point, and what’s hilarious is, we don’t know if she’s directing someone else to help or her cat directly!
The music is perfect for the moment, and while the video ends before we see our hero saved, we know the kitty’s pet parents came to the rescue and that all ended well. But if you’re an action movie fan, you’ll thoroughly enjoy the show. Commenters on the TikTok vid, which has garnered 3.4 million likes and 29,000 comments, all echo our sentiments, often giving our kitty hero a few apt lines of dialogue, such as, ‘It’s all over,’ and ‘This is how it ends’. Others saw the cat’s desperate scramble as a metaphor, one TikTok user succinctly commenting: ‘Me, trying to get my life together’.
How to ensure your cat stays on solid ground
Every heard, ‘Curiosity killed the cat?’ Of course you have. Cats are notoriously curious. But their curiosity is actually what keeps them safe, because it’s how they explore their environment. According to The Cat Behavior Alliance, instinct drives your cat to push his boundaries, and this instinct helps him hone his survival skills and keep him sharp. Think of your feline friend as a double agent, training for his next mission at all times.
Other ways cats display their curious natures: you may have noticed your cat enjoys knocking things off the kitchen counter, seemingly just to see them fall; or you may have seen her bat around the contents of your office desk. Yes, it’s irritating, but your cat is simply trying to better understand her world, as well as her place in it.
You can help your cat stay safe by providing her with plenty of stimulation that is contained in a secure environment, like a cat ‘catio’ or another type of contained outdoor space. Indoors, accept that your cat will explore and push boundaries, and yes, you may find your feline scaling your shower or stuck at the top of your kitchen cabinets. But that’s what you’re there for, as a pet parent: you get to be the true hero in your cat’s story.