Cats are naturally curious. They like to know what we’re doing at all times, and they’re usually not shy about their investigative tactics. We can’t bring home a bag of groceries without the cat sniffing every box of cereal. And they’re usually the first to notice when you bring in a new piece of furniture. When they hear a strange sound, their curious nature takes over. Molly DeVoss, a certified feline training specialist who runs the nonprofit Cat Behavior Solutions, tells Inverse that high-frequency noises mimic the chatter of rats, so these sounds naturally draw the attention of felines.

Instead, the sound may grab their attention and cause them to focus on us, the source of the noise. The noise mimics the sound of a small animal, such as a mouse or a bird, which could engage a cat’s predatory instincts. • Attention-seeking behavior A final theory is the fact that a lot of cats are conditioned to respond to the pspsps sound. It’s like when you train a dog to come when you call its name. With enough positive reinforcement, your dog will eventually learn that every time you call their name, something wonderful happens. You probably aren’t purposefully training your cat to come when they hear that specific sound, but it happens all the same. By making this noise, we can show felines that we are interested in them and want to spend time with them! What’s The Origin Of The “Pspspsps” Sound? Have you ever noticed that when you make a strange noise or sound near a cat, they often perk up its ears and start looking around for the source? It’s almost as if they’re trying to figure out what the noise means.In short: there’s a good chance “pspsps” isn’t just a weird buzzword to cats, but a noise that triggers a deeply rooted evolutionary response. Evolutionarily speaking, cats are both predator and prey and must be vigilant for noise at all times. We used to keep fresh-cut flowers from our yard all over the house. But so many things we grow are toxic to cats, so we finally just gave up and enjoy the flowers outside,” he said. “I really miss making the bouquets so I started making them again, but only in fabric this time.” Katherine Pankratz, a board-certified veterinary behaviorist, tells Inverse that the letter “s” has a higher frequency than most other human noises, potentially explaining why cats gravitate toward — or away from — “pspsps.”

If your cat’s pupils dilate when you say “pspsps” it could be a sign of fear or intrigue depending on the context. Getty

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While the exact origin and history of the “pspsps” sound is unknown, it is clear that this peculiar sound has a powerful and enduring place in our interactions with furry friends! The following year, YouTuber Jeremy on easy shared a video entitled "pispispispispispispis," in which a man makes the noise to a cat. Within one year, the post received more than 135,000 views (shown below, right). As the user must have predicted, many people rushed to follow their advice. The results ranged from hilarious to adorable. Here is one user that tried to repeat this message to their cat. “My cat hissed at me and ran away after I told her what you said.”