Cat's Odd Posture Sends Internet Into Hysterics: 'Kittens in a Trenchcoat'

A cat's seemingly odd posture has sent the internet into hysterics after a photo was shared online.

In a viral post on Reddit, which can be seen here, user Flbudskis explained their cat stands on its hind legs when he hears bell noises.

The photo of the cat's unusual posture has been upvoted more than 73,700 times and commented on over 1,800 times since being uploaded on Friday.

It is not surprising that content involving cats goes viral online as the U.S. is a nation of pet lovers.

According to the American Veterinary Medical Association, there were an estimated 31.9 million households across the U.S. where there is at least one cat.

But it appears the cat's posture is not only done for effect and could be a response to a perceived threat.

Dr. Lorna Whittemore, a cat expert at the website ExcitedCats.com, told Newsweek: "Standing up on the hind limbs is usually seen in cats when adopting an alert position, to prepare for a threat.

"It makes them look bigger, and this can help them avoid conflict. It also frees up the forelimbs for swiping. The cat in the picture looks very focused on the sound.

"Looking straight ahead, ears turned forward towards the sound, eyes wide open, pupils large, and whiskers out sideways."

Whittemore said while there are many cats that stand on their hind legs, there are others that do not: "This is a posture that is relatively common to some degree in cats. There are many cats who don't do it at all, and some that are often found in this stance. It seems to be an individual cat preference or learned trait.

"I am not aware of any studies looking into the negative effects of this posture in cats, but it would be a fair assumption that frequent repetition could result in increased wear and tear on the hip, knee, and ankle joints, resulting in arthritis," Whittemore added.

Many Redditors commented on the cat's pose, with one writing: "He looks like a Dr. Seuss character."

Another added: "I heard it evolved to create extra real estate for tummy rubs," and a third posted: "OMG (oh my God), he looks like a funky tiger."

A Redditor commented: "That's three kittens in a trenchcoat."

Newsweek reached out to Flbudskis for comment.

Cats regularly receive tens of thousands, if not millions, of views across multiple social media platforms.

Posted on October 21, a video showing the friendship between a mailman and a cat received 1.1 million views.

In the clip, the cat appears to have been waiting patiently for the mailman to arrive and jumps up and swipes at leaflets as they fell through the mailbox.

The man let the other papers fall and could be seen smiling and waving as he walks away.

Update 10/27/22, 10:25 a.m. ET: This article was updated with a new photo.

Correction 11/09/22, 6:00 a.m. ET: This article was updated to correct the name of the cat expert.