Perhaps your Labor Day Weekend was full of surprises, but have you ever found out you aren't the species you thought you were?
Well, Wilbur the cat sure did. His owner, TikTok user @_unctarheel_ (also known as Tyler), broke the news to him rather ungently and caught the kitty's reaction on film.
Let's just say, Wilbur was shocked.
@_unctarheel_ Wait until I tell him he’s adopted 😬 #cat #animals #funny #cute
"Wilbur, you do know you're a cat, right?"
As Tyler broke the news to Wilbur, Wilbur's jaw dropped, leaving his little smooshable face looking like the definition of surprise.
@_unctarheel_/TikTok
@_unctarheel_/TikTok
@_unctarheel_/TikTok
@_unctarheel_/TikTok
"Yeah, I thought you knew," Tyler said to Wilbur, whose jaw kept its little self open, and whose eyes filled with a mist of confusion.
One user suggested that Wilbur was not shocked that he WAS a cat, but rather shocked that his owner was NOT a cat, which is in keeping with research that suggests cats think of their humans--not as humans, but as big, clumsy, hairless cats that they have a duty to take care of.
@_unctarheel_/TikTok
@_unctarheel_/TikTok
@_unctarheel_/TikTok
@_unctarheel_/TikTok
Another possible explanation for the look of shock on Wilbur's face is a phenomenon called "The Flehmen Reaction," which is a behavior "unique to certain mammals--including cats."
"When a cat notices an interesting smell he or she will sometimes open their mouth for a more thorough prolonged sniff. Taking air in through the mouth allows the cat to analyse it using a special organ that's known as the Jacobson's organ or the vomeronasal organ."
"The cat's Jacobson's organ is located in the upper jaw, above the roof of the mouth. A very small duct takes the air into this specialized organ where the cat can study the sample."
@_unctarheel_/TikTok
@_unctarheel_/TikTok
@_unctarheel_/TikTok
@_unctarheel_/TikTok
Whatever the cause, we would like to extend our thanks to Wilbur the cat for making the face and creating a perfect TikTok.
And for his sake, we hope his future holds less large surprises.
@GovPressOffice/X
