If you’re a cat lover, then we bet you are always on the lookout for that adorable neighborhood cat. You know, the one who always greets you with a squeaky meow or a companionable head butt?

Now, imagine if you spot that favorite feline friend of yours up in a tree one day. He looks happy enough, but on further inspection, you notice something sinister—the kitty is holding a machine gun, and he’s pointing it right at you!

Let’s be clear, this isn’t some theoretical situation or obtuse riddle; this actually did happen to someone in Newport, Oregon last month. The scared bystander called the authorities who then showed up to the scene, and determined that the cat was no threat to anyone because, get this, he wasn’t really holding a gun.

Yep, you read that right. The would-be killer kitten was just holding tight to a branch that LOOKED like a weapon. Thankfully, the cops did get a pretty sweet pic of the ordeal, which they then posted to their social media account.

Along with the photo, the police department also included this hilarious caption:

Reports of an armed cat this morning were unfounded. The feline was contacted by our canine and was determined to be in possession of a non-lethal branch. The cat was given a verbal warning for posing with what could be mistaken as an assault rifle while wearing poor camouflage attire.

It’s an odd tale, but it did make us start to wonder if it were possible for a cat to successfully shoot a weapon. Luckily we have the magic of Internet to answer this bizarre question.

Now, this might sound like a bit of a frivolous story to you—and it is!—but, whoever called the police did have somewhat of a valid reason to be scared. Believe it or not, humans have actually been shot by cats before. The cases are few and far between, but it has happened!

Back in 2005, Joseph Stanton of Bates Township, Michigan was making dinner in his kitchen when one of his cats nudged his 9mm off of the counter and onto the floor. This caused the handgun to discharge, and Stanton was subsequently shot.

And, though they are labeled as “man’s best friend”, it turns out that dogs shoot people, too! As a matter of fact, in a 2015 report from the Washington Post, it was confirmed that a total of six Americans had been shot by their dogs, with even more cases overseas.

To be fair to these animals, neither the cats nor dogs pulled the triggers; each case featured an owner who was either mishandling a gun or leaving one out without the safety on. Not the smartest of decisions…

To learn even more about the curious case of the cat holding the “machine gun”, be sure to click on the video below. If this isn’t a meme waiting to happen, I don’t know what is!

What do you think of this tough-looking kitty? Do you know any stories of an animal discharging a weapon? Would you have called the police if you saw this cat in a tree? Tell us all about your thoughts and experiences in the comments section below!