'How Do You Know How to Do This?'—Owner Shocked to Find Cat Using iPad

Forget iPad kids, because iPad cats are the new concern among internet users who have recently witnessed a pet using the touchscreen device.

The video shared to TikTok account @doja.rat.sexy shows the moment the poster found her tabby cat scrolling through wildlife videos on YouTube, using her tongue and paw.

The footage shared on January 26 has sent the internet into a frenzy as they cannot believe their eyes. So far, the clip has racked up over 5.3 million views and more than 764,000 likes. The owner recording can be heard asking, "How do you know how to do this?"

While the internet offers plenty of information about screentime restrictions for parents, there is little data about pets using technology.

Hill's Pet Nutrition, Inc. says on its websites that cats can "sort of" watch TV. The animals "do not have the cognitive and reasoning capabilities to process images and sounds into more complicated thoughts," but they do enjoy movements and color.

So, a cat hasn't got the capacity to become addicted to the latest show on Netflix, but they are able to concentrate on what's on the screen. The American pet food website highlights how shows with a combination of red, green and blue paired with swiftly moving objects are the most appealing for cats.

You can see why it's interesting in this instance because the cat is viewing a video of birds. Hill's Pet Nutrition adds that cats may also enjoy kids' programs due to the primary colors and quick movements.

So far, the video has more than 4,000 comments, many from other concerned cat owners.

"I also have an iPad cat, she opened an ad and started online shopping," wrote one user.

"I have a iPad cat, it goes into my photos app, stares at the screen for 2 seconds specifically then scrolls to repeat," posted another.

A third comment read: "Okay that's impressive and a little scary."

"This is insane," added a fourth user.

"Even cats are addicted to screens now," commented another.

It's safe to say the video has tickled the internet because it certainly isn't every day that you see a cat using a device. But children using screens has become the norm. Research by Statista says that kids in the United States are allowed to use digital devices between one and two hours per day.

Newsweek previously shared an article about a mother who enforced a "no device" policy during dinnertime. It remains to be seen if similar rules will be extended to include pets in the future.

Newsweek is waiting for a comment via social media from @doja.rat.sexy.

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.