Up or down? The Internet debates over photo of cat on stairs | Inquirer Technology

Up or down? The Internet debates over photo of cat on stairs

/ 11:25 AM April 11, 2015

Screengrab from 9gag

Screengrab from 9gag

After the recent online furor over the color of a dress, a furry feline is now dividing the Internet world.

READ: Blue and black? Or white and gold? Color of dress divides netizens

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Dubbed #catgate, an ambiguous black-and-white photo of a tabby cat poised on the middle of what appears to be a flight of steps has had netizens scratching their heads over whether it is going up or down the stairs.

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The photo, which was first posted on 9gag.com, has sparked off a storm of comments. Several videos were also posted on YouTube attempting to explain the optical illusion.

Many theories abound, with some attempting to use animal physiology to prove their point.

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One user on Facebook wrote: “It’s going down. When cats go down the stairs, they raise their tail to mantain balance.

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“When they go up, the tails remain down cause balance isn’t an issue.”

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But the raised ridges on the edge of each step, some argue, are proof that the cat is moving up.

A later post by 9gag claims to have solved the conundrum using an architect’s approach.

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Or if you’re having a headache staring at the photo, take a cue from the trolls: that the cat is stationary in the photo and going nowhere.

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TOPICS: optical illusion, Social Media
TAGS: optical illusion, Social Media

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