A cat appearing scared of his owner after seeing her wearing a hair towel has gone viral on TikTok.

A message overlaid on the video posted by @sele_als, which has garnered 1.3 million views since June 9, reads: "I just came out of the shower and this happened." According to a later comment from the original poster, the feline in the video is a Bengal cat.

The footage shows the cat sitting at the top of a fridge, looking down at the camera, which later pans to a woman laughing away while wearing a robe and a hair towel, fresh out of the shower.

Wide-eyed with its ears drawn back, the feline appears startled and later jumps off the fridge and goes on top of a table. He stares back at the camera, with the hairs along his back and tail sticking up and ears still tucked back.

The cat's body language in the video should come as no surprise to animal lovers. Our feline friends can be averse to novel situations, and they should be monitored closely for any signs of fear, such as the positioning of their tails.

"A cat may lower their tail below the level of their back if they are frightened or anxious," explained veterinarian Alison Gerken in a November 2023 article for PetMD.

"If your cat assumes the quintessential Halloween-cat posture with a puffed tail and arched back, then they are startled or frightened by a sudden, severe threat," she said.

Some cats may also exhibit piloerection, which is when their hair stands up so they appear larger. Often triggered by feeling threatened, such as by other animals in the yard, approaching dogs, visitors in the home, or sudden noises, the positioning of the tail is a defensive reaction that indicates the feline wants to be left alone, Gerken explained.

"Remove the inciting triggers to decrease your cat's stress. If you try to interact with your cat when their hair is standing up, they may perceive your approach as a threat and become aggressive," the veterinarian advised.

When exposing your cat to novel situations, if they don't play with you or take a treat or is shown to be hissing, cowering or huddled tightly into a ball, it's indicating that it is "frightened and needs a break," veterinarians Ellen Lindell, Debra Horwitz and Gary Landsberg said in an article for VCA Animal Hospitals.

"It is particularly important to watch for signs of fear in an older kitten or adult cat. You will need to proceed much more slowly, as older cats are less behaviorally flexible. Give your cat plenty of time to adjust to each situation," the veterinarians said.

'Stressed'

A caption shared with the viral post says: "My cat's reaction of me wearing a hair towel."

The cat later jumps onto the floor and stands in a corner of the kitchen, looking up at the camera with another intense stare. A voice in the clip says, "It's me...it's mommy," as the camera approaches the feline, and the woman continues giggling before the clip ends.

TikTok users were amused by the cat's reaction.

Jay said "bro is STRESSED" and TikToker rosky wrote "oh my you frighten him..."

Commenter Leah Rad said the cat must have been thinking "Where's my hooman!? You're not her!"

TikToker heba wrote, "awww he is so cute and scared I promise it's your mommy lol."

Newsweek reached out to the original poster via TikTok for comment. This video has not been independently verified.

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