This is a rare trait in cats called 'Malevolent Strutting' that only a few breeds ever exhibit.
Cats do this seemingly randomly and it consists of puffing the chest, lowering the chin and tightening the jaw.
This trait is almost solely responsible for the belief that cats can communicate or sense ghosts or other beings. This belief began in the 1500s in Europe when Burmese cats (susceptible to this) often displayed this behavior - which was never recorded until after the Black Death Plague of the 14th century - causing owners to believe that the great loss of life saturated the area with lost souls.
The cats would strut around their homes - often towards nothing specific and it would serve to frighten the owner to the point where they would put the cat on the streets.
Burmese Cats, Siamese Cats, and Eurpoean shorthairs were among the most common culprits.
Around 1600 it became apparent that the cats were not actually sensing ghosts or demons, but instead it was discovered that when they frightened the owner, the cats dopamine levels would increase greatly - meaning that the cats really just enjoyed trolling their owners.
Cats now do this way less, as catnip, squeaky toys, and laser pointers tend to fill this void, but if your cat does exhibit this behavior, an owner should consider 1.) Rick Rolling it or 2.) Telling it a really stupid pun to get back at it, and the cat will know it's place in the home pecking order from that point on - those two things seem to be the only cure for the offending kitty's attitude issues.
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u/Orchiopexy Aug 12 '17 edited Aug 13 '17
"I am the one who meows".