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Probably the last thing you’d expect to see is a tiger slinking along inside a laundromat while you’re folding your clothes. Or a duck on the subway! Clearly, something strange is going on, and your brain is playing catch-up, trying to figure out exactly what that is.

Welcome to the wonderful world of animals showing up in incredibly peculiar places. The ‘Animals Where They Shouldn’t Be’ Instagram account does exactly what it says on the tin and shares photos and memes of animals “in the wrong places.” Whether it’s a massive bear or lizard browsing for groceries at the local corner shop, a crocodile reading at the library, or a chicken trying to figure out how a skateboard works, the photos are bound to make you think about the context behind them... and wonder why cats can be found, well, pretty much everywhere.

We’ve collected some of the funniest and most peculiar pics from ‘Animals Where They Shouldn’t Be’ (and a few other places) to share with you, dear Pandas. Scroll down, upvote the ones you liked the most, and follow the page if you enjoy its creator’s humor. 

We reached out to the friendly team at the PDSA, the United Kingdom's leading veterinary charity which has provided 100 million free treatments to more than 20 million pets since being founded in 1917. PDSA Vet Claire Roberts was kind enough to answer Bored Panda's questions about pets exploring their surroundings, and answered the elusive question that's been stuck in our minds for ages: why do cats love plopping down on our laptops when we've got so much work to do? Read on for the full interview.

#1

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Deborah B
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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

The lynx looks happy to have a friend. Hope they let the little kitty stay.

glowworm2
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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I love this story. The cat was hungry and looking for food. The zoo adopted her so their friendship could continue.

Hannah Hilbig
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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I heard that the zoo also gives service animals to the animals in there to keep them happy

Karen Klinck Klinck
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

The zoos routinely pair their cheetahs with dogs. The cheetahs are very high-strung, so the dogs give them stability and confidence. Funniest thing i saw was a zoo staffer trying to simultaneously walk a cheetah cub and puppy. It was their first time out together, and when they weren't trying to go in opposite directions, they were trying to play together, and wrapping the poor woman's legs in their leashes.

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Fraxinus excelsior
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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

These 2 are a great comparison for 2 of my cats my tortie is the size of the domestic cat my grey fluff ball is the size of the lynx.

Narwhal Blast
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

The lynx's face is like "can I keep it? I want to keep it!" And the cat is like "well?" waiting for an answer. I love this story so much!

Riley Quinn
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Wow. I wouldn't have believed this if I hadn't seen it. I know bobcats will attack/kill domestic cats, and so would a lynx given the opportunity. Initially, the zookeepers removed the calico cat, but she snuck back into the lynx enclosure and stayed. They've been together for 10 years.

Thundercuss
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I hope the lynx doesn't decide to eat the cat. Hopefully she is given enough tasty, nutritious food to make their friendship safe(r).

Nadine Bamberger
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

It's a zoo in St. Petersburg, I read somewhere that they were raised together so the lynx wouldn't be lonely.

M Jo.
Community Member
3 weeks ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

What are you looking at? We've always been here together

Robbyn Tygrett
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Why does the lynx look so happy & the cat so terrified? Did she think she would be kicked out of the cage? Or is she saying HELP! I'm in over my head!

Amanda Hunter
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Awwwe she has a little friend. I hope they didn't make kitty go away.

Nesbitt Liz
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Probably having a discussion about how the third cousins twice removed

v
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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

The lynx is smiling like "meet my new friend" and the cat looks like 'oh shite, I'm busted!"

Casmera Norwich
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

zoo animals look so sad and lonely .... they should give them all best friends ....

Illicit
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I hope it was a stray and they gave it a check-up and let it stay.

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"If you’re on your laptop engrossed in your work, the likelihood is you’re ignoring your feline friend. Therefore, jumping on your laptop and getting in between you and the screen is the best way for your cat to get your attention," PDSA Vet Claire explained to Bored Panda.

"What many owners don’t realize is that they are unwittingly reinforcing this behavior by stroking or cuddling their pets when they do this. Therefore cats quickly learn that sitting or sleeping on a laptop gets them what they want—attention from their owners."

The vet noted that there are some logical reasons why cats sleep on laptops, even though it might seem silly to us humans because it seems like such an uncomfortable spot.

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Talitha Jansen
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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

They didn't arrest the bird, a suspect had the bird with him. They put the bird in a cell to keep it safe, as they waited for animal rescue.

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"Firstly, cats enjoy heat and therefore are drawn to the warmth that laptops generate, they also like the fact they can smell their owner’s scent on the keyboard. But cats are territorial, so they’ll often sleep on the computer to transfer their own scent onto it," she noted.

Meanwhile, Bored Panda wanted to learn more about how curious and adventurous animals generally are when it comes to exploring their surroundings. We were curious whether this varies from species to species and individual to individual.

"Every animal is unique and individual; you can have two Jack Russell Terriers with completely different personalities regardless of the fact they are the same breed, and this is the same with cats, rabbits, small animals such as hamsters, and even fish," the PDSA representative said.

"It’s therefore important to understand that some pets will be less keen to investigate new objects or people in the home and should be allowed to go at their own pace. Make sure your pets have a safe area to retreat to if they are feeling unsure and don’t make them do anything they don’t want to do," she said. "You may find your pet becomes less curious as they get older and this is natural, however, if you notice a drastic or rapid change in your pet’s personality it is always best to speak to your vet."

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The ‘Animals Where They Shouldn't Be’ page has made quite an impact on Instagram. 194k people follow the account. Meanwhile, the memes it showcases consistently get tens of thousands of likes on the social media page.

Internet users love looking at animals. They also love good humor. Add the two together, throw in a dash of weirdness and meme formats, and you’ve got yourself the recipe for success online. 

It makes a lot of sense that our pets and wildlife end up in weird places where we think they ‘shouldn’t be.’ They might be exploring their surroundings or looking for food.

They might be migrating. Or they might simply be moving around what they consider to be ‘their’ territory.

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It’s only us, the people looking at these images, who might see it as bizarre that a wild animal is roaming around civilization. The animals themselves might have very different understandings of where they ‘should’ and ‘should not’ go.

They might consider things like the availability of food and other resources, as well as weigh the potential risks of going somewhere while avoiding other areas entirely.

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Meanwhile, when it comes to our pets, it becomes slightly easier to distinguish between Places Where Animals Are Allowed To Be and Places Where They Definitely Shouldn’t Be. But it really depends on each household.

For instance, some dog owners might forbid their pets from jumping on the couch or getting into bed with them. Others, however, might love to snuggle up with their pooch.

#15

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"SWEET BABY JESUS THERE IS A BEAR IN THE REFRIGERATED BEVERAGES SECTION"

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So the definition of what a ‘wrong place’ might be actually changes from person to person. And that makes the entire experience of looking at these memes something deeply personal. Someone might see a cat sitting on their laptop as a daily occurrence.

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Others might find it strange because their catto spends all of its time sitting in an empty cardboard box (while totally ignoring the nifty and expensive cat bed nearby).

The sad reality is that, as the human population continues to grow and urban zones expand, we automatically cut into the land where wildlife lives.

It essentially means that these animals have less of their natural habitat available to them, meaning that they’re either forced to retreat deeper in-land, or to wander into ‘civilized’ and industrialized zones. 

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The New York Times draws attention to how human activities like farming, logging, poaching, fishing, and mining are “altering the natural world” at a very fast pace. Meanwhile, global warming is changing local climates. It’s predicted that the rate of biodiversity loss is bound to accelerate through to 2050, especially in the tropics. That is, unless the global community changes its approach to conservation and increases its efforts.

#22

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"I've been driving a forklift for 20 years I know no passengers but I couldn't help myself Imao"

animalswheretheyshouldntbe Report

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One report from 2018 found that in the Americas alone, nature provides around 24 trillion (yes, trillion) dollars worth of non-monetized benefits to humans.

For example, the Amazon rainforest absorbs plenty of carbon dioxide which helps slow down the pace of global warming. Meanwhile, various wetlands purify drinking water. While coral reefs might be good for fisheries and local tourism.

By industrializing new territories and expanding urban zones, people aren’t just harming the local flora and fauna: they’re also indirectly harming themselves and their. There are plenty of moral reasons to be a conservationist. There are lots of practical ones, too!

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#30

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Busy Panda
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1 year ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Horse: Starlight Glimmer's cutie mark couldn't be natural, regardless whatever she said!😠

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Yes, there will always be wild animals who end up where they ‘shouldn’t’ be, but the question is how often that happens. Whether it’s a rare occurrence that makes us gasp in wonder if it is just part of someone else’s daily life—they don’t bat an eye when a giant lizard lumbers into the shop, they just get the broom or call the local authorities.

#31

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Tiger Pearl
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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I think someone’s tiger-print socks just grew legs and walked away. This happens to me all the time!

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#33

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Mom wake up new currency just dropped

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#35

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DC
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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Hitch a ride, they said. It'll be fun, they said, and cost effective, they said, and not dangerous at all, they said.

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#51

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Magpie
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1 year ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Guide dogs for the blind in training I think. edit: desensitizing them to all sorts of noises.

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#59

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Shark Lady
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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Cheetahs are known to be nervy animals in captivity so some zoos raise the cubs with puppies as emotional support.

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#60

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HelluvaHedgehogAlien
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

This banana is mine, and this banana is mine… this other banana is mine too… THESE BANANAS ARE ALL MINE human whatcha lookin’ at

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#61

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CaptainDinosaur
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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Often, Abigail would stand in the surf and dream of greener pastures over the horizon...

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#62

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Tiger Pearl
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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I think someone should have hidden the sheets better when carrying them in. This Zebra is clearly out for revenge!

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#72

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Sad Quokka
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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

"HILAAARRRYYYYYY! I've done my ten minutes naughty time, let me out!"

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#74

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Okiedokie
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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

If you get a Shiba, be aware, every escape opportunity will be taken, even if it fails

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#90

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DC
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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

New impoved cow, rid of hat, replaced by food bin to be changed like a battery.

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I wish that was me

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#96

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Phoenix(or nix)they/them
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1 year ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

That dog is gonna get to good at playing on PC that it's gonna start playing valorent(correct any spelling because I can't spell)

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Nilsen
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1 year ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

That' actually quite common in Eastern Europe. Carps are kept alive in bath tubs all over Polen at least, for the last few days before Christmas and served as the main dish on Christmas eve https://matadornetwork.com/read/live-carp-tradition-wigilia/

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#98

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Paulo Freitas
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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I love these bull terriers, they look só wierd lol, and they are powerfull little f***s a few years a go One head butted me ( i bent down to pet her, and She got up, no we wherent bar fighting ) and broke my glaces lol.

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#100

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Exquisite Spam
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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

These are giant isopods. Deep-sea creatures which are likely VERY dead at this point.

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