Startled kitty’s natural athleticism abandons it when it realizes it’s being followed by its owner.

Cats, feline fans are quick to say, are graceful creatures. They operate on an entirely different level from dopey dogs (particularly those silly Shiba), as their natural hunter instincts make cats acutely and constantly aware of their surroundings.

This video from Japanese Twitter user @rizareku, however, shows a notable exception. @rizareku says the kitty seen is her family’s pet, and when it decided to go out for a stroll around the neighborhood, @rizareku followed. However, the cat didn’t initially notice that it had company, and the first 20 seconds or so of the video show the animal adorably walking down the street with a steady gait until it eventually turns a corner.

After making the turn, the cat stops at a fence with a single missing rod, apparently intending to slip through the gap and continue on its way. However, as the camera spins around for a closer look, the cat looks up and finally realizes it’s been followed the whole time. Its immediate reaction is to turn and put some distance between itself and @rizareku, but…

…instead of passing through the opening in the fence, it plows right into the bars with a metallic thunk.

Fortunately, the cat doesn’t seem to be hurt, as it instantly recovers its bearing and moves surefootedly away from the fence. It does look upset and embarrassed, though, giving @rizareku a hard glare and a pair of accusatory meows that seem so say “Seriously? Look what you made me do!”

Other Twitter users offered alternative translations and comments of their own:

“’What? No, I’m not clumsy. I did that on purpose!”
“So precious.”
“A video with a startling (physical) impact.”
“Someone is mad at you now.”
“At the end, you can totally tell the cat blames whoever’s filming.”
“I love how when they do something clumsy, cats and dogs react just like people would.”

Again, the cat doesn’t seem to have suffered injuries to anything other than its pride, though a fair number of “Poor thing” comments were mixed in among the many “So cute and clumsy” ones. Still, maybe @rizareku should consider showing her pet some of Japan’s new made-for-cats safety videos, just to be on safe side.

Source: Twitter/@rizareku via Jin
Images: Twitter/@rizareku