Pet owner puts GPS tracker on cat and dog and was shocked to see the different walk routes
The cat stealthily followed him and the dog the entire time—he just didn't know it.
Another cat mystery unlocked.
Cats and dogs are, well, two different beasts. One comes from a lineage of solitary hunters, the other is a pack animal. That alone is bound to result in vastly different personalities.
And while we kind of know this about the world’s two favorite pets, you’ve probably never seen it in action quite like this before.
In a video posted to TikTok by pet tracker company Tractive, a pet owner showed how his cat stealthily followed along while they were taking the dog on a walk.
In satellite view, we see the dog (presumably on a leash with the owner) walking a fairly straightforward loop. Meanwhile, the cat’s path is a dizzying series of zig zags and loop de loops, seeming to stay just close enough to keep tabs on its family—while still entertaining its own curiosity.
Watch:
@tractive.com Cat walk vs Dog walk be like 😁🐶🐱 #tractive #tractivegps #catwalk #dogwalk #dogsoftiktok #dogwalking #outdoorcat #catsoftiktok #cattok #dogsandcats ♬ original sound - Tractive Pet GPS
The cute clip prompted fun comments as it made its way through several other social media platforms, including X and Reddit.
“She is doing side quests!”one person quipped.
Another joked that “The cat is me when I tell a story.”
A few thought this was the perfect example showing that cats aren’t nearly as aloof as we think they are.
“Cat: I miss you, but you don't need to know that,” one person said.
Many cat owners were inspired to chime in with their own similar experiences.
“My cat does this when we walk around our property! We don’t think she’s nearby & then she pops out in front of us lol.”
“Ours often joins us from the start. Peels off if there’s a better offer; rabbiting, rolling in a dust bowl, or ‘challenging’ any other neighborhood cats.”
“Back when I was a kid…we would take our two dogs to the field there to run around after dinner. Our two cats would always walk with us…One of those cats was a real wanderer too. It wasn't uncommon for me to be playing in [the] forest, and to all of a sudden have my cat just sort of emerge from the bushes, nuzzle my leg for a minute, then bound off into the woods.”
The clip also drew some criticism from viewers, who were concerned that kitty’s natural hunting instinct was a threat to the local wildlife. One solution to this might be giving it a collar with a bell attached, though some sensitive cats might find this too uncomfortable.
Another option could be getting a kitty leash. Acclaimed cat expert Jackson Galaxy recommends that first time leash wearers initially get their cat comfortable with a harness using clicker training, attaching a leash only after that is achieved.
He also reminds us that “walking a cat is very different than walking a dog.” On his website Galaxy writes:
“You might take a few steps, then stop so they can take a few sniffs. A few more steps, a quick dart to explore a bug, followed by more sniffs, etc. From there, you might go into a little bit of a trot, only to stop again for more sniffing. Clearly, this is not the excursion into aerobic exercise that walking a dog can be , so be prepared for the slower, more contemplative experience of cat walking.”
If there’s any doubt to the merit of this advice, just watch the video again.
By the way, if you'd like to get our own pet tracker, check out Tractive's website here.
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There's a reason why some people can perfectly copy accents, and others can't
Turns out, there's a neurodivergent link.
A woman in black long sleeve shirt stands in front of mirror.
Have you ever had that friend who goes on vacation for four days to London and comes back with a full-on Queen's English posh accent? "Oooh I left my brolly in the loo," they say, and you respond, "But you're from Colorado!" Well, there are reasons they (and many of us) do that, and usually it's on a pretty subconscious level.
It's called "accent mirroring," and it's actually quite common with people who are neurodivergent, particularly those with ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder). According Neurolaunch, the self-described "Free Mental Health Library," "Accent mirroring, also known as accent adaptation or phonetic convergence, is the tendency to unconsciously adopt the accent or speech patterns of those around us. This linguistic chameleon effect is not unique to individuals with ADHD, but it appears to be more pronounced and frequent in this population."
Essentially, when people have conversations, we're constantly "scanning" for information—not just the words we're absorbing, but the inflection and tone. "When we hear an accent, our brains automatically analyze and categorize the phonetic features, prosody, and intonation patterns," writes Neurolaunch. For most, this does result in copying the accent of the person with whom we're speaking. But those with ADHD might be more sensitive to auditory cues. This, "coupled with a reduced ability to filter out or inhibit the impulse to mimic…could potentially explain the increased tendency for accent mirroring."
While the article explains further research is needed, they distinctly state that, "Accent mirroring in individuals with ADHD often manifests as an unconscious mimicry of accents in social situations. This can range from subtle shifts in pronunciation to more noticeable changes in intonation and speech rhythm. For example, a person with ADHD might find themselves unconsciously adopting a Southern drawl when conversing with someone from Texas, even if they’ve never lived in the South themselves."
People are having their say online. On the subreddit r/ADHDWomen, a thread began: "Taking on accents is an ADHD thing?" The OP shares, "My whole life, I've picked up accents. I, myself, never noticed, but everyone around me would be like, 'Why are you talking like that??' It could be after I watched a show or movie with an accent or after I've traveled somewhere with a different accent than my 'normal.'
They continue, "Apparently, I pick it up fast, but it fades out slowly. Today... I'm scrolling Instagram, I watch a reel from a comedian couple (Darcy and Jeremy. IYKYK) about how Darcy (ADHD) picks up accents everywhere they go. It's called ADHD Mirroring??? And it's another way of masking."
(The OP is referring to Darcy Michaels and his husband Jeremy Baer, who are both touring comedians based in Canada.)
Hundreds of people on the Reddit thread alone seem to relate. One comments, "Omfg I've done this my whole life; I'll even pick up on the pauses/spaces when I'm talking to someone who is ESL—but English is my first language lol."
Sometimes, it can be a real issue for those around the chameleon. "I accidentally mimicked a waitress's weird laugh one time. As soon as she was out of earshot, my family started to reprimand me, but I was already like 'oh my god I don’t know why I did that, I feel so bad.'"
Many commenters on TikTok were shocked to find out this can be a sign of ADHD. One jokes, "Omg, yes, at a store the cashier was talking to me and she was French. She's like 'Oh are you French too? No, I'm not lol. I'm very east coast Canada."
And some people just embrace it and make it work for them. "I mirror their words or phrase! I’m 30. I realized I start calling everyone sweetie cause my manager does & I work at coffee shop."