Veterinarian Tara Montgomery examines a cat named ''Digit'' in her Mississauga clinic March 30, 2007
IN PHOTO: Veterinarian Tara Montgomery examines a cat named ''Digit'' in her Mississauga clinic March 30, 2007 Reuters/JP Moczulski

A photo of a tabby cat walking on the stairs has gone viral on the Internet. It was posted on the 9GAG website and as of this writing, there are already 3,680 comments about it on the site. Those who have seen the cat’s photo have been debating as to whether the tabby is going up or going down the stairs. Click here to see the photo from 9GAG.

9GAG users including sorath418, jesusbarraco, capowar and asiancatgoddess have posted their opinions about the direction where the cat is going on the stairs. Both sorath418 and jesusbarraco think that the cat is going down because of the staircase and the shadow of the tabby in the picture. On the other hand, asiancatgoddess and capowar believe that the cat is actually going up the stairs.

“I would say this cat is going up as it looks a bit up and forward. When cats go down, they look where they're stepping, i.e. down,” Capowar commented on the 9GAG site.

One 9GAG user even gave up guessing and said that the cat is neither going up or down because it was just posing for a picture. Meanwhile, the cat madness has spread on a popular video sharing site. YouTube user blirding posted a video about the cat, asking his viewers if the cat is going up or down. At the time of this post, 41,966 have already viewed it, with 24 users liking it and 37 users giving it the thumbs down. Watch the video at the end of this article.

YouTube user Jorge Rodriguez thinks that the cat is going up the stairs. He pointed out some things about the photo that led him to this conclusion including the bottom of the staircase which looks like a floor to him, the cat’s shadow and the “concrete-like build up" on the sides of the ledge that is perpendicular to the top of the ledge.” Rodriguez believes that it would be so much easier to tell where the cat is actually going if the photo was in colour.

As for the YouTube user who goes by the name of Nando Pueyrredon, he thinks that the cat is going down. He believes that the protruding part of the stairs is the tell-tale sign which determines where the cat is heading.

Another photo with a solution to the puzzling question about the tabby cat was posted on 9GAG. It revealed that the cat is actually going down. The shadow / triangle along the side of the stairs was encircled in red as an explanation, along with a meme of a guy with a T-square and the words “like an architect” written on it. Click here to see the said photo on 9GAG.

The kind of interest that the “cat on the stairs” photo has sparked online is reminiscent of the two-tone Roman Originals dress which actually has blue and black shades in it.

“We can confirm #TheDress is blue and black! We should know! http://bit.ly/1arLYRe,” Roman Originals tweeted on its official Twitter account.

Let us know your thoughts on the cat on the stairs photo from 9GAG. For questions/comments regarding the article, you may email the writer at j.somosot@ibtimes.com.au.

CREDIT: YouTube/blirding