Standoff sumo-style Cats walking like humans are very rare. The image I have created of two cats standing tall like humans is exceptional but the basic method and motivation is often the same: to make oneself larger to scare the other cat off. Standing tall like this is taking a defensive and threatening measure to extreme. Image: MikeB The lesser version of a cat walking like a human is the arched back and bristled fur which makes a domestic cat look larger in a standoff with an intruding cat. See below. The cat stands sideways. Arched back defensive body posture making oneself look bigger. Screesnhot. A tiny percentage of cats take this body language posture to this extreme. It must put a lot of pressure on the hip joints and back because the cat is not designed to stand tall on their hind legs. Looking further Although both of the cats in the image and one you see in the video were in a sumo-style stand-off with another cat, you will also very rarely see domestic cats standing tall ...