this is great, because as far as i know, one of the reasons cats like to knock things off counters is because it gets a large reaction from us. they don’t realize that it’s an unhappy reaction - they’ve just discovered that they can exert a unique kind of agency over their world.

imagine if you walked into a room and there was a button on the wall. you’d want to press it and see what happened. if it did something like make a beep or change the lights, most people will immediately press it again in response, testing out whether it happens again, or what the pattern is.

so the cat is like, huh, wonder what happens if i do this - and then it gets a Big Reaction! it is having a major impact on its environment! cool! wonder if it happens every time? OH IT DOES! this is fun!

and then the dog is getting treats, which dogs hella like. double enrichment! A+ video.

And this also gives humans animal tv.

I love how the cat watches the dog gobble down almost a whole fistful of the shit the cat is dropping on the floor before the cat goes ‘hang on, maybe this is edible’