TikTok Trend Of Cats Covering Black Dots Finally Gets An Explanation

Cats can be mysterious creatures. They can be standoffish, moody, and even outright rude. But, they are also loving, tender, and caring, as well. Those who have cats know that not everyone is a cat person, but when you are, you are all in.

Shared on TikTok dozens of times, people have been talking about how cats will cover a black hole/circle if they are drawn on a piece of paper. The black circle could be any size and any shade of darkness, according to TikTok.

TikTok user @_tobyandluna_ shared a video showcasing one of her cats and the black dot she had drawn in her notebook. After seeing that her car did not really take notice of the dot at first, she decided to make the dot bigger.

The cat in the TikTok then looked at the black circle, which was now bigger and more defined, and immediately pounced on the notebook with his paw, trying to get it. The cat put its paw right over the circle, leaned over, and began trying to lift it up and touch it.

Cats all over TikTok began trying to paw away at the black circles that their owners were drawing for them. After looking at the black circle for a few seconds, all of the cases go after the circle with a serious need to touch it.

It seems rather strange that a cat would go after a circle that it just watched you draw on a piece of paper. Especially if the cat watches you, you'd think that the cat is smart enough to know it is something that you drew, not an actual object to touch or grab.

Behavior manager Nicky Trevorrow at Cats Protection explained the reason why cats have become so enamored with these black circles.

“Cats are renowned for having a natural curiosity so when they see something new it’s understandable that they will want to investigate it."

“It’s a little-known fact that cats are actually slightly farsighted and cannot see that well under 25cm, so when you see them leaning in with their heads, they may be trying to use their sense of smell to investigate," he said.

“Touch is also a very important sense for cats. They may use their paws and/or whiskers which are highly sensitive. When the cat moves in for a closer look at the black dot, you can see their whiskers move forward to get a better sense and feel of what they are looking at," he added.

While there are many cats that do want to touch the black dot, there are others who ignore it completely.

"Once they see it’s nothing exciting, edible, or threatening, they just walk away or may sometimes sit over it because it’s a convenient place to sit," Trevorrow further explained.

If you're bored and looking for a way to entertain you and your furry friend, why not grab a piece of paper and try it out yourself? Let us know in the comments if your cat reaches for it or not!