Why are cats so afraid of cucumbers?

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You may have already seen those viral videos where a cat, peacefully eating, suddenly jumps up upon discovering… a simple cucumber. The scene may make you smile, and yet, behind this seemingly comical moment, hides a mechanism much deeper than a simple distaste for vegetables. So, myth or reality? Are cats really afraid of cucumbers? And if it wasn’t a question of vegetables at all…

What really scares your cat (hint: it’s not green)

It is not so much the cucumber that causes this instant panic, but rather the element of surprise. Imagine yourself enjoying your favorite food, relaxed, in a familiar place… And suddenly, a strange object appears behind you without a sound. You’d jump too, wouldn’t you? This is exactly how your cat feels. 

Our felines have a highly developed spatial memory. They know exactly where their bowl, their favourite cushion or your armchair (now theirs) is. When an unusual object suddenly appears in this environment that they know by heart, their ancestral instincts are activated. This is the famous startle reflex: a rapid reaction that is found in all animals to allow them to flee from potential danger.

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