History Main / CatsLoveLaserPointers

Studies show that when a cat sees a red dot, it triggers its predatory instincts to hunt, chase and kill like what other cats do with their prey. While it is [[TruthInTelevision true]] and [[TropesInAggregate undeniable]] that our feline friends are [[{{Stereotype}} prone to such pointless pursuits]] of the laser pointer kind, the power of the laser light can damage their eyesight severely. [[red:Use cautiously!]]

* ''Advertising/EnergizerBunny'': One commercial has the Energizer Bunny playing with two laser pointers; one powered by Energizer Ultimate Lithium, and the other powered by Supervolt. As he shines them in front of a pair of cats who chase after the red dots, the Supervolt-powered laser pointer goes out after 19 hours of continuous use, while the Energizer-powered one manages to last for 27 hours.

* ''ComicStrip/PhoebeAndHerUnicorn'': Marigold the unicorn sees the glowing red dot, and starts pursuing it until she gets dizzy and stumbles. Phoebe steps into view, and remarks that laser pointers also affect unicorns. Marigold counters that she'd mistaken the glowing dot for a fairy that owes her money.

* ''WesternAnimation/TheSecretLifeOfPets2'': When Bridget is cornered by a giant cat who has Max's favorite ball; Busy bee, she called upon Norman to use a laser pointer. Surrounded by feisty felines, they go to plan B, where Norman makes it look like Bridget caught the red dot, fooling them to believe that she is the chosen one.

* ''Film/TheSmurfs2'': The Naughties lure Azrael, the cat, into being beat up by them by using a green laser pointer.

* ''Literature/TheHungerGames'': In ''{{Literature/Mockingjay}}'', the Everdeens' cat Buttercup practically becomes a celebrity in District 13 because people love watching him play Crazy Cat, which consists of Katniss wiggling a flashlight beam around and watching him try to chase after it. She's even issued extra batteries specifically for playing Crazy Cat, despite resources in District 13 being tightly controlled, because its people are that starved for entertainment.

** In "Mother Author Laser Pointer," Mr. Frond's cat gets [[CatUpATree stuck in a tree]]n so Frond enlists the kids to help get him down without anybody else noticing. Watching his teacher use a laser pointer to highlight specific constellations triggers a EurekaMoment for Gene, and the kids use a laser pointer to guide the cat down from the tree.

* ''WesternAnimation/WeLostOurHuman'': Close to the end of a Ham route depending on the choices the watcher makes, They save Pud from high speed volcanic rocks with a laser pointer to get Pud to move out of the way.

* ''Advertising/EnergizerBunny'': The Energizer Bunny playing with two laser pointers; one powered by Energizer Ultimate Lithium, and the other powered by Supervolt. As he shines them in front of a pair of cats who chase after the red dots, the Supervolt-powered laser pointer goes out after 19 hours of continuous use, while the Energizer-powered one manages to last for 27 hours.

* ''WesternAnimation/TheLooneyTunesShow'': In "Recap/TheLooneyTunesShowS1E26PointLaserPoint", Tweety uses the pen's laser function to shine a red dot to keep Sylvester at bay, what with him being a cat and all.

[[quoteright:300:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/catpointer.png]]
[[caption-width-right:300:This is why some businesses use pointer sticks.\\
[[https://web.archive.org/web/20150219150442/http://maneggs.com/ Source]]]]

[[caption-width-right:300:This is why some businesses use pointer sticks.]]

* ''WebAnimation/{{RWBY}}'': In Season 2, Yang is able to get the attention of an overworked Blake (a cat faunus) with a reflection of a sunbeam.

* ''Fanfic/DeathBattleArena'': Strider Hiryu's Friendship consists of him using a laser pointer to distract his Option C Drone- which is, need we remind you, a robotic big cat.

* ''WesternAnimation/{{Soul}}'': [[spoiler: When Joe is in a cat, and 22 is in Joe's body, and they escape the hospital through the elevator, 22 looks at Joe's glasses, doing so shines a light in which Joe chases]].

* ''Series/RedDwarf'': Being a race who evolved from the housecat, Felis Sapiens have inherited their weakness to laser pointers, and this becomes effective during "[[Recap/RedDwarfThePromisedLand The Promised Land]]" when Rimmer uses his new diamond light powers to emulate a laser pointer at Rodon and his lackeys. The result is that in their desperate attempts to get the light, there is no one at the helm, and Rodon's ship is destroyed in a massive explosion.

* ''ComicStrip/{{Garfield}}'' has an [[ExploitedTrope exploited]] example in [[https://www.gocomics.com/garfield/2012/04/29 the April 29, 2012 strip]], where Garfield chases a red dot caused by a laser pointer until he goes splat off a table, and the strip ends with the culprit being a spider [[TheDogBitesBack exacting payback on the cat]].
-->'''Spider''': Revenge is mine!!

[[caption-width-right:1000:This is why some businesses use pointer sticks.]]

[[quoteright:355:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/img_2237.jpeg]]

* ''WesternAnimation/TheMonkeyKing'': When When a young Monkey King, shoots his laser eyes in the heavens, it catches the attention of the Jade Emperor's cat.

* ''[[Film/NightAtTheMuseum Night at the Museum: Secret of the Tomb]]'': When Larry gets attacked by some lion statues in the climax, he uses the light of his flashlight to distract them.

* ''WebComic/TheOatmeal'' has a dog dog react to a laser pointer by asking if it is food. When told it is not, he is all "that's cool man" and proposes sprinting around in circles until they throw up. In contrast, four cats go completely out of their minds trying to kill the red dot. As one puts it:
-->Holy mother fuckity shit
-->What is this optical phenomenon
-->of light and confusion
-->I must stab it

But it doesn't have to be limited to cats. Sometimes it can have an effect on other creatures, like their [[PantheraAwesome big cat cousins]], or even CatlikeDragons. Heck, it can even be used on humans. In fact, laser pointers can be used to lure people/beasts into a trap, or keep them distracted.

[[spoiler:You know, deep inside, you've been looking for this all along[[red:.]]]]

Chasing the dot is one of the main things that makes a cat a cat. There's just something about it, on how it shines, and how it's all over the place and- [[AttentionDeficitOohShiny wait, it's over there, and now it's over there, oh my precious, get back here...]]*ahem* so where were we?

* In ''ComicBook/PowerGirl'' issue #12, Power Girl uses her heat vision to make a pair of dots for her cat Stinky to play with.

[[folder:ComicBooks]]

But it doesn't have to be limited to cats. Sometimes it can have an effect on other creatures, like their [[PantheraAwesome big cat ancestors]], or even CatlikeDragons. Heck, it can even be used on humans. In fact, laser pointers can be used to lure people/beasts into a trap, or keep them distracted.

* ''WesternAnimation/TheLEGONinjagoMovie'': The Ultimate Weapon creates a pointed laser that summons [[MegaNeko Meowthra]] to Ninjago and the giant cat follows the laser wherever it goes. Lord Garmadon uses it to his advantage by pointing the laser at the Secret Ninja Force's vehicles and making Meowthra destroy them.

But it doesn't have to be limited to cats. Sometimes it can have an effect on other creatures, like their [[PantheraAwesome big cat ancestors]], or even CatlikeDragons, heck, it can even be used on humans. In fact, laser pointers can be used to lure people/beasts into a trap, or keep them distracted.

Studies show that when a cat sees a red dot, it triggers its predatory instincts to hunt, chase and kill like what other cats do with their prey. While it is [[TruthInTelevision true]] and [[TropesInAggregate undeniable]] that our feline friends are [[{{Stereotype}} prone to such pointless pursuits]] of the laser pointer kind, the power of the laser light can damage their eyesight severely, [[red:use cautiously!]]

[[folder:Films -- Live Action]]

* ''WesternAnimation/TheLooneyTunesShow'': In "Recap/TheLooneyTunesShowS1E26PointLaserPoint" ,Tweety uses the pen's laser function to shine a red dot to keep Sylvester at bay, what with him being a cat and all.

[[spoiler:You know, deep inside, you've been looking for this all along[[center:[[red:.]]]]]]

[[spoiler:You know, deep inside, you've been looking for this all along.]]

[[center:[[red:.]]]]

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