So that's why cat videos are so popular

It's almost embarrassing how often I've typed the words cat, funny, video and viral in random order on YouTube. But I can't help it. It's an uncontrollable urge, a feeling stronger than I am. Do you understand me?

Last year, more than two million cat videos were uploaded to YouTube, together good for over 25 trillion views. But what is it with people and cat videos? I dove into the depths of the internet and figured out why we Can't. Stop. Watching. those head-hungry creatures. And here are the reasons:

Cat videos offer a sneak peek into the life of a mysterious, stubborn, yet also cute being. And the fun lies in the fact that they don't know you're watching them.

Cats don't care about anything. We admire that trait. They cater to our desire for a little bit of chaos in the control society. Deep down, we would also secretly like to be like that.

Because humanity recently discovered that cats are terrified of CUCUMBERS and we can't stop laughing.

The unpredictability of the cat continues to fascinate us. While you know a dog will run hard after a stick when you throw it, a cat looks at you with the ‘yeah, right‘ look. Then suddenly your little creature jumps up and runs like that girl from The Exorcist across the room. And as annoying as we find it, we also love it.

Because your beloved cat can suddenly become a folk hero on the internet. Think of the eternally grumpy Grumpy Cat, the Japanese cat Maru with his hilarious box fetish, and Shironeko, a.k.a. the ‘White Cat’, a white cat with an über-cute face and always satisfied expression.

According to Buzzfeed, it's because we humans have the idea that cats lead the ideal life. Dogs are more often associated with work and being active, while cats are chilling hard every day. And that's why we watch cat videos for over an hour on Friday afternoons – in our bored mode – eagerly longing for the relaxed life of the cat.

Watching cat videos is not only delightful, it's also good for you, as proven by a study from the University of Indiana. According to the researchers there, it provides extra energy, a more positive attitude, and fewer negative emotions. So now we have a really good excuse.

And let's wrap it up with a delightful cat compilation.