A video newly going viral across social media is proving unforgettable because it articulates the choices we all have in life, and the cat featured therein has chosen war. When you put a petty cat and an unsuspecting dog together, after all, you might get comedy gold — alongside the paw punches thrown.
In footage captured by the Ruto the cat’s owner on Twitter, a black cat perched on an arm rest can be seen staring down an unsuspecting dog who is otherwise just following its bliss and enjoying a TV program on the couch. We see the cat sitting, plotting and squaring up its reach while Howie the dog is none the wiser. All that preparation, all that strategy, all that quintessential cattiness brings us to the inevitable conclusion: the dog getting a decisive smack in the face. And then the payback.
“Please enjoy this video of my cat being an absolute idiot. Note the look on her face the entire time,” the Twitter user wrote, accompanying the clip that has since been viewed more than 11 million times. (The video was later removed.)
The moment is a testament to the joy that everyone can take at one individual’s premeditated, thoughtful decision to start conflict, and to own their bad behavior through and through. Of course, it’s possible that the dog could have had this coming after some prior injustice; their owner has not yet responded to TIME’s request for comment on any grievances. It’s also just as possible that cats will be cats.
Nonetheless, a subsequent tweet did confirm that the two foes patched things up after the incident. (The owner even clarified that for the record that it’s all in good fun.) We wish this friendship all the luck in the world in the future.
Here they are vibing together.
More Must-Reads from TIME
- Why Trump’s Message Worked on Latino Men
- What Trump’s Win Could Mean for Housing
- The 100 Must-Read Books of 2024
- Sleep Doctors Share the 1 Tip That’s Changed Their Lives
- Column: Let’s Bring Back Romance
- What It’s Like to Have Long COVID As a Kid
- FX’s Say Nothing Is the Must-Watch Political Thriller of 2024
- Merle Bombardieri Is Helping People Make the Baby Decision
Contact us at letters@time.com