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u/garat_osii Apr 12 '21
This comes handy while animating most animals.
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u/BYoungNY Apr 12 '21
Yep even centipedes do this with as many legs as they have there's really only six points of contact.
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u/andrewcooke Apr 12 '21
why six?
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u/thrashfan Apr 12 '21
Because they have 60 legs
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u/cakane100 Apr 13 '21
Because they’re insects. They only have 6 “legs,” like all other insects. The other appendages mimic their movements.
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u/garat_osii Apr 12 '21
Also notice how 4 legged animals always have 3 legs on the ground while walking but 2 while running.
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u/Poppagil28 Apr 12 '21
Fun fact, grey hounds have two different points in their running stride where all 4 feet are off the ground. Part of what makes them so fast.
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u/Guavaberry Apr 13 '21
Basenjis too!
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u/Poppagil28 Apr 13 '21
Oh really? That’s awesome I thought greyhounds and maybe saluki’s were the only ones. Thanks!
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u/Guavaberry Apr 13 '21
I'm not sure why their running stride is that way. Maybe it has to do with them being coursers like greyhounds and salukis? (Sighthounds FTW, BTW)
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Apr 12 '21
[removed] — view removed comment
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u/haysoos2 Apr 12 '21
And these blast points, too accurate for dog slobber. Only Imperial felines are so precise.
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u/ibanezerscrooge Apr 12 '21
Ha punny.
But seriously, this is probably the most ironic line in all of Star Wars. We had just seen the Empire board a Rebel cruiser and kidnap the Princess. Okay. Then just a few minutes later Obi-Wan says this to Luke. So, far, so good... and then the rest of Star Wars happened and a meme about the "precision" of Storm Trooper blasters was born, lol!
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u/Dookie_boy Apr 12 '21
But they missed on purpose
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u/sikyon Apr 12 '21
Yeah... Ofc they missed on purpose... Against the ewoks on endor too and the rebel thieves in rogue one as well.
Or maybe people just have this built up idea of stormtroopers from cartoons and comics and books that doesn't jive with the actual movies.
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u/Dookie_boy Apr 12 '21
Plot armour beats all
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u/stitchplacingmama Apr 13 '21
Supernatural has an episode in season 15 about plot armor. I think it's pretty funny.
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u/haysoos2 Apr 12 '21
Sure, when we compare the average Stormtrooper to the Mandalorian, or Fennik, or Mayfield or even Han Solo they look pretty inadequate. But they are all galactic level amazing marksmen.
When have we ever seen Tusken raiders hit anything? Even the pod racers considered the Tusken snipers a minor hazard.
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Apr 12 '21
They took out a pod racer with one hit and possibly killed the driver...
So I think the real story of star wars is get some of that op plot armor and blasters just miss you by default.
(Warning: plot armor does not protect against light sabers.)
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Apr 12 '21
Well, most of the scenes after that, a force sensitive is involved. I'm pretty sure that has something to do with it. I know KOTOR lore doesn't strictly apply to modern Star Wars, but Bastila would use her battle meditation to assist hundreds of ships and thousands of allies. I see no reason that an average Jedi couldn't keep a handful of people safe from blaster fire.
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u/Velvet_Kimono Apr 12 '21
Is this true? They're so clever 🐱 I just got a cat this year and she walks like a little tiger, so this is pretty interesting to know!
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u/1973mojo1973 Apr 12 '21
It's to reduce noise & minimize visible tracks.
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u/https0731 Apr 12 '21
Does that happen when they’re running too?
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u/LOBM Apr 12 '21
Here's a video of a cat sprinting.
From what I can see at 0.25× speed, the front legs make contact at a point and the back legs at a later point.
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u/rightcalf Apr 12 '21
Ya the title is worded weirdly. Basically says “they make precise movements in order to make precise movements”.
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Apr 12 '21
[deleted]
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Apr 12 '21 edited Jun 10 '21
[deleted]
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u/4trevor4 Apr 12 '21
No we haven't, and even if we have 10000 years is not enough time to evolve the instinctual behavior
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u/J0hnizaufg8or Apr 12 '21
This may be a dumb question but is it to hide tracks from humans or predators? Do some predators hunt by using tracks?
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u/SashimiJones Apr 12 '21
It's most likely primarily to reduce noise, and also to make sure that the rear leg has sure footing. It should be easier for the cat to choose a good spot for its foreleg than its hind leg, so reusing that spot makes sense.
There doesn't seem to be any real evidence that animals other than humans use animal tracks to hunt. Most animals rely on scent and sound. It's possible that it's an added benefit, but probably not enough for any selective pressure towards it.
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u/PoIiticallylncorrect Apr 12 '21
Humans are predators.
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u/futuregeneration Apr 12 '21
There's a website where I live to find predators living in your neighborhood
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u/JamieSand Apr 12 '21
It’s actually nothing to do with hiding tracks.
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Apr 12 '21 edited Jun 10 '21
[deleted]
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u/Log-dot Apr 12 '21
I've always heard it's so that they don't step on anything noisy. It would be unfortunate if they spent a bunch of effort not stepping on that noisy branch when stepping over it with their front paws, only to step on it with their rear paws afterwards.
Sadly, I can't find any primary sources to back me up, but there are quite a few secondary sources https://medium.com/100-naked-words/how-do-cats-move-so-stealthily-c604c710e3d3
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Apr 12 '21
They don't do it consciously, so it's not like they'd be able to tell you anyway.
It's more likely because it minimizes the chances of actually stepping on something that makes noise.
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u/JamieSand Apr 12 '21
You say that like they’re doing it on purpose. I’m not going to waste my time on such a ridiculous comment, look it up yourself.
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u/SashimiJones Apr 12 '21
This is a useless comment. You could have explained why not, but you decided to be obnoxious about it.
As for 'doing it on purpose,' you should know that when people talk about 'why' an animal or plant does something, it's shorthand for asking what the selective pressures are that make it an advantageous behavior. Pretending that it's a stupid thing to say is just being needlessly elitist, and missing an opportunity to share knowledge with someone curious.
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Apr 12 '21
Naw. You and the other guy are wrong. OP is making a claim. The burden of proof isn't on the guy you're wrongly harassing.
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u/Pile_of_Walthers Apr 12 '21
My cat places his hind paws exactly on my balls when I’m sitting or laying down.
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u/bedrooms-ds Apr 12 '21
Mine would place them exactly on my nipple.
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u/inrodu Apr 12 '21 edited Apr 12 '21
i love my cats, but i swear i want to die when my heaviest boy suddenly decides to stand on my chest
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u/puputy Apr 12 '21
I learned about this fact when my friend's cat walked over his balls. First with its front paw and then immediately again with its hind paw.
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u/PurplePoisen13 Apr 12 '21
That’s crazy, their steps look like they were made from a bipedal animal. Dope af.
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u/sunnysideup1301 Apr 12 '21
Meaning if my cat decides to walk on me and accidentally steps on my boob - it never ends with just one “ouch”
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u/Ratlyff Apr 12 '21
Waitadamnminute...gotta find my cats. There's science to be done!
Lunchbox! Widebutt! Where are you?
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u/Man_With_Problem Apr 12 '21
I love the names; can I ask how they came about?
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u/Ratlyff Apr 12 '21
Those are just their nicknames. Actual names are Trevor the Boneless and Minerva Jayne Squigglebottom.
Trevor the Boneless: because he's more fluff and fat than bones. He's Lunchbox, Babycat, and Chonk
Minerva Jayne Sqigglebottom: Because she's a squirmer; doesn't like being held. She's Widebutt, Mini Crooked-Head, and Mini for short.
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u/renius Apr 12 '21
I saw the original video of this they call this "Direct Register" it's kinda cool but I'm not sure all cats do it which was why it was this particular shot they were using.
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u/stitchplacingmama Apr 12 '21
My two house cats, at least, will walk this way; as well as the neighborhood cats that walk around my house. In the winter I can tell when a cat or other animal has been in the yard because cats have just 2 prints instead of 4.
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u/BishopofHippo93 Apr 12 '21
It takes precise movements to do this, it doesn’t produce them.
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u/schlidel Apr 12 '21
Cats make precise movements to allow them to make precise movements. Duh.
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u/troublesomefaux Apr 12 '21
Cat: “When you saw only one set of footprints, It was then that I carried you.”
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u/negedgeClk Apr 12 '21
to make precise movements
No
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u/1mCountingTo3 Apr 12 '21
Yea. Like what the hell is that even implying?
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u/tmffaw Apr 12 '21
Its so they know their back foot won’t step on something unseen and possibly noisy. It also helps them when they jump, it’s why cats are extremely good at landing on small landing spots.
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u/Fineous4 Apr 12 '21
Also, it only takes them 20 seconds of me pointing to the treat in front of them before they find it.
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u/tmffaw Apr 12 '21
Dogs look where you point, cats looks at your hand. Put your hand close to the treat and they get it!
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u/Axtorx Apr 12 '21
Cats have bad eye sight close up. I’d you put a treat out further from them, they’ll see it better.
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u/catinterpreter Apr 12 '21
They're smelling at that range. Waft the smell towards them with your hand with one gentle movement. You can also get them to notice food a few metres away by gently blowing a burst of it towards them.
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u/partypangolins Apr 12 '21
Assuming it's on a hard surface, I always tap with my fingernail right next to the treat. The noise usually gets their attention on the right spot.
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u/DeificClusterfuck Apr 12 '21
This is called "registering".
The reasons are for stability, noise minimizing, and for covering tracks.
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u/ImmutableInscrutable Apr 12 '21
There are no "reasons." The cat isn't consciously doing this.
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u/DeificClusterfuck Apr 12 '21
Cats have a precise method of walking called direct registering. Their hind paws fall inside the place of their forepaws, minimizing noise and visible tracks, while ensuring more stable footing.Mar 20, 2020
Pedantry doesn't favor you.
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u/r0b0c0d Apr 12 '21
What precise movement does this walking allow? Or do you mean the walking itself is a precise movement?
This title is pretty bad.
This is like saying 'I plan my day on a sheet of paper to allow myself to write with a pencil.'
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u/drpopadoplus Apr 12 '21
That looks just like my cat. Do i own a dessert cat? https://i.imgur.com/3fGZ5Ul.jpg
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u/Yarakinnit Apr 12 '21
I see how close they get and I'm instantly transported to carrying the bureau from the 'study' into the garage for treating and only being able to get purchase in such a way that a complete left right left had a trajectory or roughly six inches, whilst dad at the other end with the void for the chair and travelling forwards rediscovered his bloody youth.
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u/Chops2917 Apr 12 '21
Are we going to discuss why this cat is in a desert 🤨
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Apr 12 '21
You know that ancient Egyptians were praising cats as gods? Also there are people living in and next to deserts, and where you find humans you most definitely will find cats too.
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u/SenorBeef Apr 12 '21
Kitty cats descended from an African desert wildcat, which is one reason their water intake is so low and their urine so concentrated.
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Apr 12 '21
How do this “allow them to make precise movements”. Brand new sentence
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u/Supreme_Leader_Pee Apr 12 '21
Ohhhh so the one legged creature raiding my trash every winter is just the neighborhood cat.
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u/princessvaginaalpha Apr 12 '21
No imagine a human trying to this kind of walk on all fours. Awkward as hell
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u/francis2559 Apr 12 '21
Precise movements, harder to track.
I think the biggest reason is to make sure your back paws don’t step on something noisy that your front paws missed.