Dramatic Cat Has Hilarious Reaction to Girl's Feline Costume

A cat's hilarious reaction to a little girl's school play costume has been watched 3.1 million times.

In a viral video, Churchill, a 4-month-old cat, had quite the reaction to 9-year-old Natalie's cat costume.

Puffing his tail and arching his back, Churchill showed signs of defensive behavior as he was faced with the outfit.

When a cat feels threatened or scared it may puff up its tail and arch its back like this. This is usually an attempt to appear larger and more intimidating, warding off potential threats.

Liza Nikabadze, from Georgia, shared the video and told Newsweek: "Natalie took part in a school play as a cat and had just arrived home after it.

"After seeing Churchill's reaction, I started to record the whole thing," she said. In the text overlay on the video, Nikabadze wrote: "When you do not know who is this new cat in your home."

Even after Natalie washed the cat makeup from her face, Churchill was still concerned: "He didn't calm down until Natalie took the cat-ear headband off," said Nikabadze.

Cats are often captured having a frightened reaction to various things, ranging from a ceiling fan to a thunderstorm, and even a cucumber.

In more than 1,000 comments on the now viral video people shared their reactions to Churchill's concern.

"Cats are soooo dramatic," said one comment. Another suggested: "It's like the uncanny valley but for cats."

"My cat gets like this when I wear my Mickey Mouse ears," said another viewer.

Another pet owner recalled a similar situation: "My daughter once wore a fox costume. The cats hated it."

While the cat's reaction is hilarious, it is important to pay attention to your cat's body language to keep a check on their overall emotional state.

If a cat is displaying signs of aggression or fear, it is generally a good idea to give them space and avoid provoking them further.

Cats should have a calm and safe environment to retreat to when they're feeling stressed or anxious so that they can relax.

"My cat squares up to me every time I wear sunglasses," shared another pet owner on TikTok. "Such confusion."

Another viewer commented that the cat's reaction was actually an approval of the costume: "Top tier compliment on the costume tbh."

After gaining viral attention, Nikabadze was thrilled that so many people were amused by Churchill's reaction.

"Seeing the funny videos involving animals before made me attempt to post it on TikTok," she said. "I didn't expect such a reaction and it feels great to make so many people laugh."

Do you have funny and adorable videos or pictures of your pet you want to share? Send them to life@newsweek.com with some details about your best friend and they could appear in our Pet of the Week lineup.