Avideo of a dog getting hit in the face by a cat after biting its tail has gone viral on TikTok.
The clip shared by TikTok user Sandraciupka__ , which had 4.9 million views and 1.2 million likes, shows a black cat walking towards a dog and turning its rear towards the dog's face, which sees the cat's tail float directly into the dog's mouth.
As the dog appears to take a bite of the tail, the cat turns around and strikes the dog in the face with its left paw. As the cat walks away, the dog goes in for a second bite, this time on the cat's bum before the clip ends.
Aggression is among the most common cat behavioral problems observed by animal behaviorists, according to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA
Swatting or quick strikes with the front paws, as seen in the latest viral TikTok video, can be a defensive form of aggression in cats.
The ASPCA explains: "Fear aggression can occur when a cat perceives a threat, and it escalates if he can't escape. The more threatening the person, animal, object or sound seems to the cat, the more heightened his fear reaction will be.
Often the best way to deal with a defensively aggressive cat is to simply avoid him until he calms down," the nonprofit advises.
The American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) warns: "Even the cuddliest, fuzziest, sweetest pet can bite if provoked" and "it is not a dog's breed that determines whether it will bite, but rather the dog's individual history and behavior."
There are several reasons why dogs bite but most commonly it is a reaction to something. A dog that feels it's in a stressful situation may bite to defend itself.
Dogs may also bite if they feel scared, startled or threatened or to protect its territory or something else that's valuable to them, such as their puppies, food or a toy, the AVMA explains.
The cat vs. dog throwdown seen in the latest TikTok video has had users in stitches, with several saluting the dog for being "brave" enough to go in for a second bite at the end of the clip.
User MEL [honey jar and bee emojis] said: "The fact the dog went back for a second bite is brave [crying laughing emoji]," in a comment that got 22,600 likes.
User lola38383838 was also impressed with "the way the dog fought back [crying emojis]," while Lebo Gaboutloeloe also noticed how the "dog went in for the second one and ran."
The cat may have actually provoked the dog, according to user RBR/RANGERS 🇬🇧, who said: "cat literally put it in the [dog's] mouth tho [crying laughing emoji] they always up to evil business," in a comment that received 8,022 likes.
Others compared the cat's paw movements to boxing. User J.C[pin emoji] wrote the cat "got a punch like Anthony Joshua [the British professional boxer][surprised face and crying laughing emojis]," while user Do_u_get_dejavu666 added: "Left hook [crying laughing emojis]."
Some said the dog and cat appeared to display the playful type of chemistry typically observed between siblings, such as User_980208333