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For a pet, cats have a lot of mortal enemies. From dogs, to mice, fellow felines, and even their reflection in the mirror, their list of adversaries is endless.
Still, if the cat has one true nemesis, it's the bird—the only opponent capable of flying away.
Two battling cats made the internet chuckle this week, after putting aside their differences to focus on a bird.
In a clip posted to Reddit's r/AnimalsBeingDerps forum by user u/babayum6969, two tabbies can be seen exchanging blows on a window sill—until they hear the unmistakable chirp of a feathered foe. The pair immediately stop brawling and look in the direction of the sound, ready to pounce.
Captioned "Screw the fight, we heard our mortal enemy laugh," the post has received over 57,000 upvotes from Reddit users since being shared on Thursday.
"Priorities," said is_anyone_out_there.
"The enemy of my enemy is a friend!" wrote Emotional_Camel9289.
"Typical siblings," joked CherryCherry5.
Although the video was shared to Reddit by babayum6969, the footage was recorded by TikTok user @therealbroccolicat of her pets Broccoli and Dilly.
A 2013 study estimated that between 1.3 and 4 billion birds are killed by cats annually in the U.S. The Humane Society of the United States says that 25 to 35 percent of pet cats are outdoor cats, which are a bigger threat to wildlife than indoor-only animals.
There are approximately 30 to 40 million feral felines across the country. Feral cats pose the largest risk to wildlife, as they rely on hunting as their primary source of food. Stray and feral cats kill three times as many animals as indoor pet cats.
Free-roaming cats are believed to have caused the extinction of 63 different species, including birds, mammals and reptiles. In total, cat predation has led to 26 percent of known contemporary extinctions in these animal groups. To prevent your pet from harming local wildlife, experts recommend keeping your cat inside.
Others compared the duo to famous foes throughout history that teamed up to take on a mutual enemy.
"France and England throughout history," said Tryphon59200.
"Greeks and Turks when a westerner says they don't like baklava," commented Pan151.
"Bloods and crips... then the cops roll up," wrote iheartalpacas.
Although cats have the upper hand, sometimes, birds still best them in battle. For example, this orange tabby, who got stuck in a tree while taking on a magpie. However, it's not only cats that birds have outsmarted. A Golden Doodle and its bird buddy took over the internet earlier this month, after their epic tug-of-war over a treat was posted to TikTok.
Newsweek has reached out to u/babayum6969 for comment.
Update 12/07/22 04.34a.m. E.T.: This article was updated to include more information from @therealbroccolicat.
About the writer
Sophie is a Newsweek Pop Culture and Entertainment Reporter based in Lincoln, UK. Her focus is reporting on film and ... Read more