hooray

I remember when I first watched this show, I played this part at least 5 times

Tbh, I wouldn't be surprised if the actual answer was something along those same lines.

to whom am I squeaking

these cats are displaying remarkable theory of mind skills by not only registering that the humans can perceive them but actively trying to manipulate that perception! that requires one to be aware that other individuals have complicated interior thoughts of their own, to know that those thoughts are not always based on truth, and to quickly decide on the best possible “lie” for the situation. this is why I despise animal intelligence tasks based on obedience— some of the most clever moments stem from intelligent disobedience.