Spring-Loaded Cat

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A Spring-Loaded Cat is a horror film trope that specifically refers to the ubiquitous feline that invariably leaps out of closets and cabinets during horror movies, creating a false scare.

Typically, the music will slowly swell, creating tension, then a cat will jump out of nowhere and scare the hell out of characters and spectators alike and can be applied more generally to any sudden false scare in a movie.