What do you see? How you view the cat in this optical illusion reveals if you are an optimist or a pessimist

One of the best types of optical illusions are the ones which reveal something about the personality of the person looking at them.

The ones which are quick and easy to engage with are also among the most popular.

This cat optical illusion has been delighting internet users on social media because it combines both of these things.

So, just what does the image show, and what does it reveal about your personality?

Here’s everything you need to know.

What does the image show?

The image simply shows a cat on a flight of stairs, but the key question people have to ask themselves when they see the image is “do you see the cat walking up the stairs or down the stairs?”.

The direction in which you see the cat walking apparently tells you quite a lot about your approach to life.

Where has the image come from?

The greyscale picture was originally shared by mental health support platform The Minds Journal.

The Minds Journal features a variety of articles, advice and self-help quotes.

What does it say about me if I see the cat walking up the stairs?

If you said that the cat is coming upstairs, then you are said to have an optimistic view of life.

"You see potential and you see growth wherever you look," The Minds Journal article said.

Their expert added: "Your mind has been trained to look at ways of rising higher in life, so given a situation where you have the choice of rising higher than others or falling to their levels, you would inevitably be the better person.

“There are clear signs of ambition in you and no one, except yourself, can stop you from going higher in life."

What does it say about me if I see the cat walking down the stairs?

If you believe that the cat is walking down the stairs, then you supposedly have a personality that is pessimistic and you are said to be a sceptic.

The Minds Journal article said that this view of life may be a result of certain experiences, and isn’t your fault.

"It may have been based on your experiences in life or just because of the sort of people you may have met that tilted your view of life towards the negative side."

“But this means that you don’t trust easily now, you calculate before you commit and you are wary of people who seem too sweet."

The expert added: "It may just be your way of tackling the world but you are much sharper and shrewd in your dealings, making it almost impossible to trick or deceive you."

How can I see more optical illusions?

Check out our optical illusions page for more mind-bending images.

There, you’ll also be able to test your eyesight with this snow leopard optical illusion, plus find out even more about your personality with this animal optical illusion and find out if you are among the 1% of people who can see the phrase in this optical illusion.