'Triggered': Cats' Reaction to the Word Dinner Has the Internet Howling

Cats have a reputation for being aloof, unless you're a cardboard box or a bearded dragon, that is.

But as any cat owner will tell you, if you really want to get your fur-baby's attention, food is the answer. Just look at this cat obsessed with an empty cinnamon bottle, or this cat whose amusing protest against his empty bowl went viral.

Well, another pair of famished felines have gone viral on TikTok, thanks to their adorable reaction to the word "dinner."

In the post shared on Saturday April 2 (which can be viewed here), Artemis and Tama, two rescued Arabian Maus, can be seen hilariously ignoring their owner—until they mention food. Then their ears perk up and the aggressive meowing starts.

Captioned "Get you someone who looks at you like Tama looks at dinner," the post has since received over 12,000 likes and 120 comments from TikTok users loving the cats' enthusiasm.

Crybaby Moon said: "That triggered my 2 cats, only word they'll admit to knowing."

Psychseek added: "What's called selective hearing."

Carl wrote: "Love how he looks at the other cat, like 'Do we? Yeah, I could go for some dinner.'"

Other cat owners also agreed that food is the best way to get a cat to notice you.

Deborah Strawbridge said: "My cats activate at food."

While Michael Dunning commented: "This is entirely accurate. The word biscuits as well."

The artemis_and_tama account is run by their owner Roisi and is full of adorable videos of the duo playing together, climbing on doors and generally just being vocal.

There is even a series of videos called "What shaped pile are the cats in today?", which shows Artemis and Tama snuggling in an assortment of places and random positions.

Roisi told Newsweek that the pair are very food-motivated: "We could feed them a full meal, wait five minutes, say the word 'dinner' again and get just as excited a reaction.

"They have huge appetites, and I think their colony history means that they really value food when it comes, I don't think they've quite realized yet that we'll always feed them!"

Artemis and Tama were adopted from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and now live in London. In 2019, it was estimated that between 100,000 and 150,000 stray cats live on the streets of Dubai and Abu Dhabi. Although common in the UAE, the Arabian Mau is a recognized breed and is in demand overseas.

Roisi said: "We found Pawsome Love, a small organization in the UAE that look after the large cat colonies there and rehome cats who are not suited to life on the streets.

"We fell in love with Artemis right away and adopted her in July 2021.

"We were asked to foster Tama as he got bullied by another cat at his previous home. Tama and Artemis bonded immediately, so we kept Tama.

"It turned out they are little soulmates, as soon as we introduced them they were inseparable and really bring out the best in each other."

She added: "There are so many cat colonies in the UAE and there simply aren't enough homes for them.

"Arabian Maus are such a wonderful breed, they are vocal, incredibly affectionate and really intelligent which makes them a joy to be around — if a little high maintenance!"