People laugh, but cats are suffering: scientists have analysed popular pet videos
Millions of people watch funny cat videos on social media, but what seems like a fun game to a human may not be fun at all for the pet. Scientists analysed clips showing cats hissing, biting, scratching and trying to run away — and discovered an unexpected reaction from the audience. Despite the animals’ signs of distress, between 75% and 93% of the comments under each of the videos studied viewed what was happening in a positive light.
Researchers from the University of Adelaide selected 11 videos posted online which their creators presented as a game involving a cat.
The videos were posted on YouTube, TikTok, Instagram and Facebook. The researchers analysed 1,100 comments from viewers.
In the videos themselves, the researchers noted what they considered to be clear signs of the animals’ distress or stress: the cats hissed, bit, and tried to break free or run away. In some cases, the interaction resulted in physical harm to either the animal or the person.
But the comments told a completely different story.
Details
Depending on the video, 75–93 per cent of the comments analysed contained a positive reaction to what was happening.
To viewers, the situation may have seemed funny, cute or simply a normal game between an owner and their pet.
The researchers identified nine main ways in which people explained the cats’ behaviour and justified continuing the interaction.
One of the most common ideas went something like this: if the cat were genuinely unhappy, it would simply walk away.
Other users felt that genuine displeasure should look much more serious. For example, if a cat bites a person but does not break the skin, this was seen as proof that it was simply playing.
Even behaviour that looked aggressive was interpreted by some viewers as a sign of affection.
Bites and scratches were described as a normal part of a relationship with a cat, whilst the owner’s patience was seen as proof of their love for their pet.
Another common view was that the cat’s discomfort simply needed to be endured: supposedly, the animal needed time to get used to the person or learn to trust them.
Sometimes signs of stress were pushed into the background simply because the situation itself looked amusing. Some commenters openly admitted that they enjoyed watching an irritated cat.
And users who tried to draw attention to the animal’s condition might be ridiculed by other viewers or accused of being overly sensitive.
Why doesn’t the cat leave if it doesn’t like it?
The study’s authors paid particular attention to the argument: ‘If it’s feeling unwell, why doesn’t it just walk away?’
This explanation seems logical, but animal behaviour is considerably more complex. The ability to walk away depends on the space available, the person’s position, the specific cat’s characteristics and the situation.
Furthermore, hissing, attempts to pull away, biting and defensive movements may already indicate that the animal wishes to end the interaction.
Therefore, the fact that the cat does not run away does not in itself mean it consents to continuing the play.
Social media can distort perceptions of what is normal
The authors believe that the problem may extend beyond individual videos.
If videos featuring irritated or distressed cats are constantly presented as funny, viewers may become accustomed to perceiving such behaviour as normal play.
This is particularly true of content that garners a lot of views, likes and enthusiastic comments.
However, there is an important caveat: the new study does not prove that watching such videos causes people to treat their pets more poorly. The researchers analysed the content of comments and how viewers interpreted the animals’ behaviour, rather than the viewers’ subsequent actions.
This does not mean that most people treat cats badly
Nor can the figures obtained be extrapolated to the entire internet.
The researchers specifically selected 11 controversial videos, rather than a random sample of all cat-related content. Furthermore, the study focused on comments – that is, the opinions of those users who chose to express themselves publicly.
Therefore, the figure of ‘up to 93 per cent’ refers specifically to the comments under the selected videos and does not imply that 93 per cent of cat owners are unable to recognise when their pets are stressed.
On the contrary, the authors note that many users probably do genuinely care about their pets’ wellbeing. The problem may not be a lack of empathy, but a misunderstanding of cats’ signals.
Why this is important
Playing with an owner is often recommended as a way to encourage physical activity and strengthen the bond with a cat. However, interaction must take the animal’s own reactions into account.
The study shows how easily humans interpret a pet’s behaviour through the lens of their own emotions: a funny video seems harmless, even when the cat is clearly signalling a desire to end the interaction.
The authors believe that simply advising people to ‘study cats’ body language’ may not be enough. It is also important to challenge the notion that an animal is obliged to tolerate interaction simply because a human considers it to be play.
Source
Study: Julia Sophie Lyn Henning et al. Exploring Viewer Perceptions of Videos Depicting Cat-Dissented “Play” and Their Potential to Contribute to Harmful Interactions.
Journal: Anthrozoös, 2026.