John Bradshaw, a cat-behavior expert at the University of Bristol and the author of the bookCat Sense, agrees, saying the “despicable” videos are “an incitement for people to scare their cats and then invite people to laugh at them.”

Goldman explains that the cucumbers are triggering the cats’ natural startle responses, since they “would not normally see cucumbers on the floor.” 

It’s also possible they may associate the green invader with snakes, which can be deadly predators, Goldman adds.

“With a startle response, a cat will often try to get out of there as quickly as possible and then reassess from a distance,” says Goldman.

But … if you watch the video, you WILL laugh.