Maine Coon Cat Swinging From Chandelier Gives 'Cirque de Soleil' Vibes

Cats have an uncanny ability to get into things—especially things that they should not. A common saying regarding cat behavior around boxes is “if it fits, I sits” and many people have discovered that even if they outline a square on the floor with tape, their cat will find a reason to park its behind there.

Cats get inside furniture or caught in dryer vents. They trap themselves on the tops of open door or—as every superhero comic fan knows—get caught up in trees. We love the little buggers, but boy do they get themselves into awkward places. Like this guy.

In this video, a cat is seen literally swinging from the black woven basket of a light fixture, while Sia’s pop hit “Chandelier” plays in the background.

Related: Denver Man Rescues Over 100 Cats Using Professional Tree Climbing Skills

It’s unclear in this video is the cat is enjoying its ride swinging from the chandelier or is trying to get down. It doesn’t seem overly concerned and from time to time make s a half-hearted attempt to either put its hind legs up on the light fixture, too. (Or it’s possibly swinging its back feet around to help make it go higher.)

Be right back, about to secure every light fixture in my house.

Why Are Cats Like This?

There’s an entire Twitter feed devoted to “cats where they shouldn’t be” that has given my children and I hours of amusement. Cats stuck in pants legs, on store shelves, in refrigerated cases, or cuddled in fishbowls are some of the many examples of the strange places that cats like to find themselves.

The phenomenon of cats loving to climb into tiny places like the hollows under furniture, dresser drawers, laundry drums, and any box they can find is easy enough to explain. Cats are looking for a den, a safe, enclosed space that is warm and dry and where they can sleep one for one of the twelve to sixteen hours per day that they spend snoozing.

No, I cannot explain the tape markings on the floor, Maybe it short-circuits their brain and makes them think there’s a den.

And as for grabbing onto door lintels and even lighting fixtures, well it all has to do with their long-ago arboreal ancestors.

Cats Think Vertically

The modern domesticated housecoat is descended from an ancient species of African wildcat. This animal was thought to be tree dwelling, much as margays, snow leopards, panthers, and other wildcats are today. Though your cat may be found snoozing under tables and chairs, they are actually happier higher up, where their instincts tell them they will be safer from predators.

That’s why vertical cat trees and even cat gyms with climbing walls are so popular with the felines in their home, because they give them safe places to sleep as well as high perches. Some cats, in seeking higher ground, will opt for less safe and secure spots, mistaking them for tree branches. (And a swinging chandelier, which activates both a cat's climbing instincts and its hunting ones, must be truly irresistible.)

When designing your cat’s habitat (or, more likely, making your habitat cat-friendly), don’t be afraid to think vertically!

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