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It's actually both
Depends on the lighting conditions
I dislike cats, have never had one, but this seems obvious.
Ain't nobody prowling around on the savanna in the day time with huge pupils like that.
Cats are crepuscular, which means they are most active at dawn and dusk. They aren't doing a whole lot of hunting in the middle of the day regardless of their pupil size.
This is also why they have a reputation for being really fucking annoying when you’re trying to sleep. They’ll keep you awake when you’re trying to fall asleep, because that’s when they are most awake. And then after you finally fall asleep, they’ll come snuggle up because they’re tired again. And then they’ll wake you up at 5:30 in the fucking morning, because they’re awake and energetic again as dawn approaches.
Our cat likes to "hunt" at around 3AM. Every morning there is a collection of his prey (toys) that he brings upstairs and leaves on and around the bed. At some point he will also loudly announce his arrival with his kills. It would be cute if it wasn't 3 AM on a Monday night!
I have to ruin the joke but this is not really accurate.
Cat's are not thinking about "killing" when they have this look. It's the "play & snack mode" a very positive feeling for the cat. They don't have the idea that they might hurt or kill another living being in the process.
The real "kill mode" is when having a dispute with other cats (or cat like animals) that they identity not as a snack but as a cat like thing. And this look is much closer to the left picture.
Fight mode is usually ears back, low to the ground, fur on end, tense muscles and accompanied by hissing/bapping. Tail tucked in or fully raised dependent on cat and whether they feel cornered or aggressive.
Eyes half squinted, ears generally relaxed/lightly twitching with occasional tail swish is chill mode.
The second move is for target acquisition and often precedes a pounce. The wide pupils let in more light, enabling a more precise pounce.
Why the cat's body is preparing to pounce is entirely situational. Maybe it's a hunt, maybe it's play, maybe it's just because the cat is being a little overenergetic derp. When you spend time living with a cat you usually learn to identify them pretty reliably. Especially the last one.
Exactly my stand is, that cat's don't differentiate much between play and hunt.
It's a joyful experience for them (most times), not a stress situation.
the strangest thing about this meme is how you were able to take both pictures in the same position and unblurred
What? I know they are memeable things, but cats aren't subject to the Heisenberg Uncertainty principle. Can you honestly tell me you have never seen a cat or any animal for that matter change their facial expression without much movement? Even a yawn?
Wouldn't be so sure about that Heisenberg principle. This Schrödinger's Cat thing must come from somewhere...
I'll explain this joke to you when you're older.
I guess it's a whoosh moment? I thought you were claiming the image as AI :p
I’ve definitely fallen for the innocent wide eyes trick before
I get along with cats more then people or dogs. 😻😼
The first is the judgement and planning phase.
The second is when demonic behavior might leak out.
..."might"? A decision has already been made behind those eyes.
There is a whole horror short story in those 2 faces if you are a creature that is smaller than them.
"yawn, that little creature is so boring an unimpressive....I should go break its leg and bite it to see if that makes it do anything interesting."
It's not "kill mode", it's attentive.
Attending to the thing they intend to kill
this post was submitted on 19 May 2026
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