History PlayingWith / CatScare

** The cat ''is'' the psychopath, and tries to kill the character. But wait, no it's not, it was just ''very'' startled- it's harmless after all. Wait a minute, the cat couldn't have made all that noise, there must be something worse there! Wait, no there isn't... Then we see the psycho jump out... or rather, his body falls out of a nearby closet, as he's already been killed by... the cat, who proceeds to give a sinister meow and then - [[RunningGag WAIT! What was that noise? The psychopath jumps out from ''behind'' the closet, and charges at the cat! We are treated to an amusing chase scene in which the psychopath chases the cat through various hallways. Eventually, you follow the crazy scene to the end. The cat and the psychopath immediately stop their fighting, and point nervously behind you. You're not going to fall for that, so you keep your eyes on the tw-OW! What was that?! It turns out that]] [[OverlyLongGag the dead psycho from before has come back as a ZOMBIE! No wait, it's a vampire...wait, no, it IS a zombie. You then realize that]] [[ZombieInfectee you've been bitten, and you take the psycho's knife from him by force]] [[DrivenToSuicide to commit suicide, and]] [[HeroicSacrifice to prevent a transformation.]] [[OverlyLongGag But alas, your corpse reawakens anyway - as a vampire! Wait, you swore you were bitten by a zombie, not a vampire. You look back, and no - it was a WEREWOLF!]] [[AssPull The werewolf]] [[DiabolusExMachina then]] [[KillEmAll kills]] [[SuddenDownerEnding everyone.]]

** The cat scare leads to...another cat scare...then another and another. Eventually, the victims of the cat scare ignore the actual threat to deal with the cat.

* '''Downplayed''': A cat is shown in someone's hands, mewing. That someone is the killer.

* '''Exploited''': ???

* The cat jumps out, and the character is initially relieved after the scare, but it turns out the cat '''is''' the monster and it kills the character.
* It is set up for a monster to jump out, but then nothing happens.

** A character investigating frightening noises finds a cat... it's a ''Panther''. [[note]]And if they really want to parody it, it's not a Panther, it's a ''[[TankGoodness Panzer]]''.[[/note]]

* '''Subverted''': The cat jumps out, and the character is initially relieved after the scare, but it turns out the cat '''is''' the monster and it kills the character.

** Both the cat ''and'' the psycho jump out at the same time, startling eachother.

** The cat ''is'' the psychopath, and tries to kill the character. But wait, no it's not, it was just ''very'' startled- it's harmless after all. Wait a minute, the cat couldn't have made all that noise, there must be something worse there! Wait, no there isn't... Then we see the psycho jump out... or rather, his body falls out of a nearby closet, as he's already been killed by... the cat, who proceeds to give a sinister meow and then - [[RunningGag WAIT! What was that noise? The psychopath jumps out from ''behind'' the closet, and charges at the cat! We are treated to an amusing chase scene in which the psychopath chases the cat through various hallways. Eventually, you follow the crazy scene to the end. The cat and the psychopath immediately stop their fighting, and point nervously behind you. You're not going to fall for that, so you keep your eyes on the tw-OW! What was that?! It turns out that]] [[OverlyLongGag the dead psycho from before has come back as a ZOMBIE! No wait, it's a vampire...wait, no, it IS a zombie. You then realize that]] [[ZombieInfectee you've been bitten, and you take the psycho's knife from him by force to prevent a transformation.]] [[OverlyLongGag But alas, your corpse reawakens anyway - as a vampire! Wait, you swore you were bitten by a zombie, not a vampire. You look back, and no - it was a WEREWOLF!]] [[AssPull The werewolf]] [[DiabolusExMachina then]] [[KillEmAll kills]] [[SuddenDownerEnding everyone.]]

* '''Zig Zagged''': The cat ''is'' the psychopath, and tries to kill the character. But wait, no it's not, it was just ''very'' startled- it's harmless after all. Wait a minute, the cat couldn't have made all that noise, there must be something worse there! Wait, no there isn't... Then we see the psycho jump out... or rather, his body falls out of a nearby closet, as he's already been killed by... the cat, who proceeds to give a sinister meow and then...

'''Basic Trope''': During a suspenseful moment, there is a quick moment of relief before the real threat appears, via the cat jumping out and appearing to be the cause of the suspicious noises or whatnot.
* '''Straight''': A character investigates some strange noises... and a cat jumps out at them, apparently the source. Then the killer shows up.
* '''Exaggerated''': A character hears strange, frightening noises, and finds... a pile of puppies and kittens. Then the psychopath shows up and stomps on said pile, then tries to kill the character.

* '''Inverted''':
** A moment of threat before the relief occurs, via the cat's doing, still. A character investigating noises in their house sees the killer lunge at them, but it's really an old cardboard cutout pushed forward by the family cat rushing to greet the character.
** The cats owner jumps out and frightens it on purpose...then the real threat arrives as the owner is oblivoius to his pet's continued reactions
* '''Subverted''':
** A character, hearing something scary, goes to investigate. The cat jumps out. We expect something worse to happen, it doesn't. It's really just the cat.
** Or else, the cat jumps out, and the character is initially relieved after the scare, but it turns out the cat '''is''' the monster and it kills the character.

** [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zvxDs7jGBHM This happens.]]

* '''Downplayed''': ???

** The cats owner jumps out and frightens it on purpose...then the real threat arrives as the owner is oblivoius to his pet's continued reactions

* '''Deconstructed''':
** The cat actually scares the victim into a fatal heart attack, and the killer finds their dead body.
** The killer is actually a pissed-off feral cat.
* '''Reconstructed''': Cats are benevolent creatures that are trying to warn the hero.

GYAAAAH!! O-oh, it was [[CatScare just a cat...]] ...Wait a minute...
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* '''Exaggerated''': A character hears strange, frightening noises, and finds... a pile of puppies and kittens. Then the psychopath [[CompleteMonster shows up and stomps on said pile, then tries to kill the character]].

* '''Inverted''': A moment of threat before the relief occurs, via the cat's doing, still. A character investigating noises in their house sees the killer lunge at them, but it's really an old cardboard cutout pushed forward by the family cat rushing to greet the character.

* '''Subverted''': A character, hearing something scary, goes to investigate. The cat jumps out. We expect something worse to happen, it doesn't. It's really just the cat.

* '''Parodied''': An intelligent cat hangs by its claws from ceilings and makes a bunch of noise so it can jump out at those who investigate and laugh at their reactions.
** A character investigating frightening noises finds a cat... it's a ''Panther''.
*** And if they really want to parody it, it's not a Panther, it's a ''[[TankGoodness Panzer]]''.

* '''Deconstructed''': The cat actually scares the victim into a fatal heart attack, and the killer finds their dead body.

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