deleted by creator
Close, but not sideways, no cheek-skritch action
I’d say the silliness seen here goes hand-in-hand with curiosity and intelligence, which makes them clever and effective hunters. This type of derpiness also earns them a rent free spot in monkey houses. So, dumb as it may seem, this is actually a very fit behavior.
What is the evolutionary advantage?
Preservation of energy. Anti-parasite behavior.
By lack of limb and intestinal autonomous motion! Yep, the cat is also digesting while flowing down.
Also, autonomous bodywide scratching
Your premise is mistaken. The cat is rubbing its scent glands/scratching its cheek (and shoulder) on the stairs’ edges, to satisfy an itch and mark its property simultaneously. Sliding down the stairs is merely a benign side effect.
I bet theyre also having fun, because cats do like fun
The temperature in your house is too high … because your cat has taken to its liquid form.
slinky cat!
Example of convergent evolution.
Felis Slinkere!
Cathartic?
It’s called “de-escatlation”. Just like de-escalation, but with an awkward hiccup.
“On the rheology of cats” is the article that studies this phenomenon, please if you don’t trust my link don’t follow it just search the name in quotes from the beginning of the message (you should never trust the links (-________________-) ) https://www.drgoulu.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/Rheology-of-cats.pdf
Tbh, the most compelling idea of why animals play that ive heard is just as a way to keep the body limber and ready. Its like free form yoga and calisthenics combined if youre playing hard
… Drunken Tiger Paw?
Evolutionary advantage…?
Uh… its fairly energy conserving, accomplishes the desired goal when time is not a critical factor, also keeps kitty limber via basically a light stretch/workout of many diffent muscle/tendon groups?
