# Cats Vs Cucumbers > Cats Vs Cucumbers is a 2015 viral video trend in which cat owners secretly place cucumbers behind their unsuspecting pets and film the dramatic startle reactions. Cats vs. Cucumbers is a viral video trend where cat owners secretly place cucumbers behind their unsuspecting pets and film the dramatic startle reactions. The format blew up on YouTube and Reddit in 2015, with compilation videos racking up millions of views. The trend also drew sharp criticism from animal behaviorists who argued the pranks could genuinely stress and injure cats. ## Origin On May 10, 2015, YouTuber Doki Doki uploaded footage of a cat jumping high in the air after discovering a large green cucumber on the floor behind it. The video pulled in over 2.2 million views within six months. While similar prank videos featuring cats spooked by bananas and computer printers had circulated since as early as 2006, the cucumber format triggered far more viral interest[3]. - **Platform:** YouTube - **Creator:** Doki Doki (original viral video uploader) - **Date:** 2015 ## Overview The setup is dead simple. A cat owner places a cucumber on the floor behind their cat while it's eating or otherwise distracted. When the cat turns around and spots the cucumber, it launches into the air or scrambles away in visible panic[2]. The videos capture that split-second of feline terror, and the mismatch between a harmless vegetable and a cat's full-body flight response made them wildly shareable. The appeal partly comes from how it flips expectations about cats. They're known for poise and predatory confidence, so watching one go airborne over a piece of produce hits a specific comedic nerve. ## How It Spread The meme jumped to Reddit on July 8, 2015, when a GIF of the Doki Doki video landed on /r/StartledCats, earning over 5,700 upvotes. By July 17, a dedicated /r/CucumbersScaringCats subreddit had been created[3]. Media coverage built through the fall of 2015, with outlets seeking expert explanations for the behavior. The Cats vs. Cucumbers trend peaked in November when multiple compilation videos each earned millions of views within days. On November 17, 2015, National Geographic published "People Are Scaring Their Cats with Cucumbers. They Shouldn't," featuring animal behaviorist Jill Goldman warning that the pranks could cause real harm[1]. The article itself went viral after being posted to /r/nottheonion, where it pulled in over 4,200 upvotes and 1,200 comments in 24 hours. ## How to Use The Cats vs. Cucumbers format typically follows this setup: 1. Wait until a cat is eating or focused on something else 2. Quietly place a cucumber on the floor directly behind the cat 3. Step back and record the moment the cat turns around 4. The startled leap or scramble is the payoff ## Cultural Impact Coverage from outlets like National Geographic turned a viral prank format into a genuine discussion about animal welfare. Goldman's warning framed the videos as harmful rather than harmless fun, and the NatGeo piece going viral on Reddit amplified that message[1]. The science behind the reactions drew its own interest. Experts offered two main theories: the cucumber's elongated green shape may trigger an instinctive fear of snakes, or the sudden appearance of any unfamiliar object in a space the cat considers safe causes a generic startle response[2]. The second explanation gained traction as experts noted that cats react the same way to any unexpected object, not just cucumbers[2]. Even the Urban Dictionary entry for the meme calls it a "debunked myth," chalking the reaction up to surprise rather than any inherent fear of the vegetable[4]. ## Fun Facts - Despite the meme's name, behaviorists say cats aren't afraid of cucumbers specifically. Any unexpected object placed behind an unsuspecting cat triggers the same panic response[2]. - Cats can actually eat cucumbers safely in small pieces when introduced calmly, making the vegetable both the source of their on-screen terror and a legitimate snack[2]. - The cucumber's elongated shape may trigger a hardwired snake-avoidance instinct, since cats evolved as predators constantly scanning for threats in their environment[2]. - The National Geographic article condemning the trend became its own viral moment, drawing over 1,200 comments on /r/nottheonion in a single day[1]. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### What is Cats vs. Cucumbers? A viral video trend showing cats being startled by cucumbers placed behind them while they're distracted. The cats' dramatic leaps and scrambles made the videos massively shareable across YouTube and Reddit[2]. ### Where did Cats vs. Cucumbers come from? The trend started on YouTube in May 2015 when a video of a cat leaping away from a cucumber went viral, eventually drawing coverage from major outlets including National Geographic[1]. ### What does Cats vs. Cucumbers mean? The meme captures the comedic contrast between a harmless green vegetable and a cat's extreme fear response. It's broadly referenced as shorthand for an over-the-top reaction to something harmless[2]. ### How do you use Cats vs. Cucumbers? Place a cucumber behind a distracted cat and film its reaction when it turns around. However, animal behaviorists strongly advise against it due to the risk of injury and stress to the animal[1]. ### Is Cats vs. Cucumbers still popular? The trend peaked in late 2015 when compilation videos pulled millions of views and major outlets covered it. The format is widely recognized as a classic piece of internet animal humor[2]. ### Why are cats scared of cucumbers? The leading theory is that the cucumber's elongated shape triggers an instinctive fear of snakes. A competing explanation holds that any unfamiliar object suddenly appearing in a safe space would cause the same startle response[2]. ### Are cats actually afraid of cucumbers specifically? Most experts say no. The reaction is triggered by surprise, not the vegetable itself. Any unexpected object placed behind an unsuspecting cat produces a similar response[2]. ### Is it harmful to scare cats with cucumbers? Animal behaviorist Jill Goldman warned in National Geographic that the pranks can cause cats to injure themselves while fleeing and may create lasting anxiety around feeding areas[1]. ### Was there a subreddit for Cats vs. Cucumbers? Yes. The /r/CucumbersScaringCats subreddit was created in July 2015, shortly after the first viral clips spread across Reddit[3]. ## References 1. [National Geographic | National Geographic]() 2. [Why Are Cats Scared of Cucumbers? The Science Behind the Meme]() 3. [Cats vs. Cucumbers - Know Your Meme]() 4. [List of films with post-credits scenes]() 5. [Cats vs. Cucumbers - Urban Dictionary]() --- Source: https://meme.com/memes/cats-vs-cucumbers Published by meme.com — The Internet Meme Library