# This is the Epitome of a Scardy Cat

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-is-the-epitome-of-a-scardy-cat/726824>\
**Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\
**Created:** [August 2, 2015, 9:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-is-the-epitome-of-a-scardy-cat/726824 "2015-08-02T21:28:04Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 6\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Hopeful\_Crow](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/da6949/32.png) [@Hopeful\_Crow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hopeful_Crow)\
**Post date:** [August 2, 2015, 9:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-is-the-epitome-of-a-scardy-cat/726824/1 "2015-08-02T21:28:04Z")

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[Try not to laugh. I dare ya!](http://twistedsifter.com/videos/cat-gets-freaked-out-by-cucumber/)

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**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\
**Post date:** [August 2, 2015, 9:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-is-the-epitome-of-a-scardy-cat/726824/2 "2015-08-02T21:54:06Z")

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My guess is the cat’s first instinctual response was that a snake had been able to sneak up on it and it jumped to safety. Evolution gives you instincts that assume the worst-case scenario first. The animals that waited to take a second look to see whether it was snake or a cucumber right behind them got killed by snakes.

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**Author:** ![Cabin\_Fever\_1](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cabin_fever_1/32/2908_2.png) [@Cabin\_Fever\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cabin_Fever_1)\
**Post date:** [August 2, 2015, 10:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-is-the-epitome-of-a-scardy-cat/726824/3 "2015-08-02T22:13:23Z")

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> [@Hopeful\_Crow](#):
>
> [Try not to laugh. I dare ya!](http://twistedsifter.com/videos/cat-gets-freaked-out-by-cucumber/)

I tried not to laugh.  
.  
.  
.  
I failed miserably…  
(Hopefully the cucumber remained safe and returned to the salad-mix unto which it was destined).

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**Author:** ![Tamerlane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tamerlane/32/7602_2.png) [@Tamerlane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tamerlane)\
**Post date:** [August 3, 2015, 12:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-is-the-epitome-of-a-scardy-cat/726824/4 "2015-08-03T00:12:04Z")

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> [@Little\_Nemo](#):
>
> My guess is the cat’s first instinctual response was that a snake had been able to sneak up on it and it jumped to safety.

That’s just silly. Everyone knows snakes are absolutely harmless. Vegetables and fruits on the other hand are the sinister archenemies of [cats worldwide](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8-1F-CokXNU).

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**Author:** ![CheshireKat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cheshirekat/32/1207_2.png) [@CheshireKat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CheshireKat)\
**Post date:** [August 3, 2015, 12:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-is-the-epitome-of-a-scardy-cat/726824/5 "2015-08-03T00:26:36Z")

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And they will do [anything](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_VkGctpu214)to escape folding clothes.

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**Author:** ![voltaire](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voltaire/32/313_2.png) [@voltaire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/voltaire)\
**Post date:** [August 3, 2015, 12:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-is-the-epitome-of-a-scardy-cat/726824/6 "2015-08-03T00:29:13Z")

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When it came to choosing between fight or flight, that cat took the latter option pretty literally!