There’s a cat hiding in this optical illusion

The cat optical illusion
(Image credit: Dr Michelle Dickinson/Future Owns)

If you're a cat owner, you know how easy it is to lose your feline friend in plain sight (seriously, they fit in any nook or cranny they want to). So it's fitting that the cat in this optical illusion is nearly impossible to spot, even though it's staring right at you. 

This mind-boggling optical illusion, designed by Dr Michelle Dickinson, has resurfaced on Twitter this week. Hidden between the unassuming striped line is a photo of a cat, that you can only see if you unfocus your eyes. We're suckers for a feline-themed optical illusion, so it's no wonder we're questioning whether this mind-boggler belongs on our best optical illusions list.

We've settled for looking at the illusion with our glasses off to see the cat, but others have said that squinting, shaking your head and moving away from the screen all seem to work as well. It's a lot of trouble to go through, but once you see it, it's totally worth it.

See more

If you still haven't spotty the furry creature lurking amongst the black and white lines, then you're in luck. One Twitter user responded to the illusion with an edited version of the design that makes it easier to see the cat hidden in the image (see below). How cute is it in its mini shirt collar? 

The edited version of the cat illusion to make it clearer

That let the cat out of the bag (Image credit: Dr Michelle Dickinson)

We've seen plenty of optical illusions go viral here at Creative Bloq, but if you'd like an illusion that you've designed to blow up on the internet, then make sure you brush up on our guide on how to edit a video on TikTok and get posting.

Read More:

Thank you for reading 5 articles this month* Join now for unlimited access

Enjoy your first month for just £1 / $1 / €1

*Read 5 free articles per month without a subscription

Join now for unlimited access

Try first month for just £1 / $1 / €1

Amelia Bamsey
Staff Writer

Amelia is Creative Bloq’s Staff Writer. After completing a degree in Popular Music and a Master’s in Song Writing, Amelia began designing posters, logos, album covers and websites for musicians. She now enjoys covering a range of topics on Creative Bloq, including posters, optical illusions, logos (she's a particular fan of logo Easter eggs), gaming and illustration. In her free time, she relishes in the likes of art (especially the Pre-Raphaelites), photography and literature. Amelia prides herself on her unorthodox creative methods, her Animal Crossing island and her extensive music library.