So this is what you do all day while I’m gone? Go through metamorphosis?

By now it’s not news to anyone that cats do some pretty strange things when left alone. Sometimes they act like people, sometimes they roam miles away to climb mountains, and sometimes they crash through paper doors…and just kind of stay there for hours.

But it seems like the things they do just keep getting stranger, as evidenced by this photo taken by Japanese Twitter user @naclcats4 which has been getting a lot of laughs online:

▼ “I came home to Okome-chan emerging from a cocoon.”

Sorry to surprise you there, dear pet owner, but it appears as though what you thought was a cat is actually a giant, furry caterpillar that meows. Do not be alarmed, you may still continue to feed and pet it. But do be careful because when it transforms into its final, adult stage, it will have wings and will gain access to many more things to knock over.

Here’s what Japanese Twitter thought of this unique feline phenomenon:

“It’s a caterpillar-cat lol.”
“Does your caterpillar-cat scrunch up and wiggle when it walks?”
“Your cat evolved into a caterpillar! What level was it at?”
“This is amazing. Nothing can bring down my day after seeing that.”
“That cat is like a model. He knows exactly what he’s doing.”
“Wow, you should report this to scientists! First cat-cocoon I’ve ever seen.”

Hey not so fast there, friend! If we can take some generous liberties and define a “cocoon” as something that an animal makes the raw materials for, wears, and emerges from as a new, beautiful (and possibly hilarious) creature, then cats have been making “cocoons” for years.

Source, featured image: Twitter/@naclcats4