We have a rule in our household. A fairly simple one. Cats are not allowed on the dinner table. As is the case with all rules in life, it is prone to variations in interpretation. In this case there is a very specific distinction of interpretation between the species. The human interpretation is something like this:

Cats are not allowed on the dinner table in any way. Not to take a short cut, not for taking a nap, and especially not for left-over snooping.

Human interpretation of the no cats on dinner table rule.

The cats in our household are very much aware of human interpretation of this rule. Yet, their interpretation is a bit different

Cats are not allowed on the dinner table when humans are watching.

Cat interpretation of the no cats on the dinner table rule

The cat interpretation of this rule is the one that is mostly followed in this household. I don’t want to be inter-species role defining, but in this case I think saying cats will be cats is allowed. So whenever I approach the kitchen and the dinner table I often hear a cat jump off of it (or the kitchen counter, same rule, same interpretations).

And in some cases the cats find a loophole:

Technically I’m not on the table, therefore I do not have to jump off when human approaching.