startled

Everyone, this is Boyd. Boyd, this is everyone. And no, don't worry, he's not shocked about seeing you. He's just always shocked, period. Whether he's providing you company at your table, whether he's climbed onto your bookshelf, or whether he's hanging out with you in the shower. He is always looking mildly startled, but because of that, he's also always – and we mean always – extra cute.

Perpetual puppy eyes – cat version. We don't think we could ever scold this cutie, no matter what he did. And his owner, imgur user EverythingsAThingItSeems, kiiinda seems to have the same issue, whether they realize it or not. Oh well, I guess we'll just give him a million snacks. We have a feeling he Boyd wouldn't complain.

You know that cat look - when they suddenly pause and glare at something, pupils slightly dilated, curious with a look of very mild confusion on their face? Yeah, that look. The look they give the bird that sits on their windowsill as if someone dared give it permission to sit there. Rude bird. The subreddit r/MildlyStartledCats knows what we're talking about. 

It's that cat look that you, as the owner of said cat, cannot help but laugh at. I mean, cats are always hilarious, that's kinda their thing. They're silly and have a tendency to zoom right into the wall sometimes. But what makes them special is that, really, even their very mild confusion by simple, totally normal things, is hilarious to anyone who loves cats at all. 

What is it about startled cats that's so darn funny sometimes? We love those little weirdos and their exaggerated reactions to strange little things, and sometimes to nothing at all (nothing that we humans can see, that is...). 

They are so purrfectly weird and we have to honor all of their weirdness. Including their startled reactions. 

Did you know that there is an entire subreddit dedicated to startled cats? Well, now you do -- you're welcome!