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People have been left unsure whether to laugh or cry after learning why their cats love to knock items off tables.

The realisation came after a confused cat owner asked on Reddit: "Explain like I'm five - why do cats love to push things off tables?"

However, they were not at all prepared for the response, which left them questioning how they interact with their pet moving forward.

According to PetMD, there are three common reasons behind this troublesome behaviour.

The first - which caught many owners by surprise - is that humans may have unknowingly "reinforced" it.

A statement reads: "No one loves their cat spilling a water glass onto the floor. But pet parents might be unknowingly reinforcing that behaviour by talking to their cat or picking them up when they go up to bat.

"Cats are quick learners; it doesn't take long for them to figure out that when they begin pushing a glass closer to the table's edge, their favourite people respond and give them attention."

Secondly, your cat may simply be bored and seeking attention or entertainment at your expense.

The statement adds: "Bored cats who have little stimulation in their environment may find ways to entertain themselves.

"When kitties are left alone for hours with nothing to do and no one to interact with, your trinkets are likely to end up on the floor."

Finally, it may come down to instinct, as cats are natural predators hardwired to be attracted to things that move suddenly across their line of sight.

A statement explains: "Fast-moving objects are potentially something to chase, catch and eat.

"The simple act of pushing or batting items off counters and desks taps into this instinct. This is also why cats enjoy watching bugs and playing with quick-moving wand toys."

Commenting on the post, one user said: "They do it to get your attention. Cats learn, and they learn that if they push things off the table, you'll stop ignoring them and interact with them."

Another user added: "Mine absolutely does it to wake me up. I can tell because I watch him do it through slitted eyes.

"He'll knock something off my desk, then look sharply at me to see if I react. If I continue to 'sleep', he knocks something else off. Sometimes he'll even sit on my chest and punch me in the face."

A third user said: "My cat used to do this before I really managed to help her understand the concept of play.

"She was originally bought by the neighbours as a toy for their kids, but she decided to move in with us instead. She was very tetchy early on because I don't think she'd ever really been played with before. Once I introduced her to toys, she stopped doing it.

"Now, if she wants my attention, she meows and then flops down for a belly scratch. She knows this will always tempt me over - because who can resist a kitty belly?"