A tomcat’s intriguing coat has caused quite a commotion on Twitter after a user in Japan discovered it. His fur’s visual trickery has been referred to as Catception.
The variety of spots, stripes, and colors found in cats’ haircoat, together with the patterns exclusive to each cat, are one of the most intriguing aspects of this animal.
It becomes even more fascinating when the feline’s fur holds geometric illusions, just like a picture shared on social by a Japanese-speaking user.
The man discovered a random puss on the road and couldn’t help but stare at the feline. He then took a pet picture and uploaded it on Twitter, generating an enthusiastic conversation about the animal’s coat.
A cat within a cat?
The white and gray striped cat can be seen sitting on the ground from behind. On his back, a large dark cat-shaped pattern gives the impression of another cat also sitting from behind.
This dark spot is so well positioned that the actual tail of the tomcat also extends as if it were that of this feline in an optical illusion.
In a nutshell, it looks like the white cat is carrying a black cat.
— ねこやん (@tatuya01) August 29, 2017
This double feline illusion made commenters refer to the hit movie Inception, helmed by famed director Christopher Nolan and starring Leonardo Di Caprio. In this action film, protagonists create dreams within dreams in their target’s mind, similar to a Matryoshka doll.
Followers used the term catception, inspired by the famous flick, to baptize the cat illusion. Nearly 250,000 people liked the post, which was shared 135,000 times in a week.
Soon, people try to find other kitties presenting similar illusions. Some creative cat owners attempted to recreate their twisted version of cat-ception with props.
The original catception
Catception or cat-ception is not a novel expression. The term has been part of internet feline jargon for a decade.
This meme was created in 2011 when a cat owner decided to film his cat in different situations and then show his recordings to the pet. The cat’s reaction to those clips is pure confusion.
As expected, the poor animal watching himself is entirely bewildered. He doesn’t understand what’s happening but somehow seems entertained… or troubled. Who knows?
Simon Newport, the cat’s owner, dubbed his bizarre concept “Catception” in reference to the film Inception.
Newport’s Catception earned a significant buzz on social media back then. Subsequently, other pet owners followed suit: the catception meme was born.
Not sure this meme is what Christopher Nolan envisioned in his legacy but didn’t Oscar Wilde say, “Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery.”