While optical illusions often have a mind-bending effect on me, I've never given much thought to how they affect our furry friends – but of course, someone on the internet has. Testing their feline pals with a crafty optical illusion doormat, this YouTuber quickly realised that their moggies weren't as easily fooled as we might expect.
There are countless types of optical illusions, from the cognitive to perplexing physiological tricks of the eye. A prime example of the classic anamorphic illusion style, this mystifying op-art has been a favourite among optical illusion fans for decades – I guess cats just don't have the same artistic appreciation.
Placing the illusion at the bottom of their stairs, YouTuber ワビサビちゃんねる put their cats' wits to the test, giving them no choice but to cross the fake treacherous pit. It turns out that cats aren't as bamboozled by optical illusions as we humans (or at least the ones in this video) – if anything they seem completely unfazed. Likely due to their refined sense of sound and smell the cats quickly identified the lack of depth, happily walking and playing over the 3D illusion. While the crafty visual trick didn't stump the clever moggies, it does make for some adorable viewing.
It's not the first time we've seen our animal friends reacting to optical illusions – it turns out otters can see optical illusions (and they're just as confused as we are). Want to create your own op-art? Take a look at this artist's trippy optical illusion art and learn how to recreate it yourself.