Darling Maru the cat is known for his penchant for boxes, and sitting in them. His affinity for cardboard has earned him a special place in the heart of the Internet and his home of Japan. Maru even got to be the star of a Uniqlo campaign, to celebrate the opening of its store in downtown San Francisco.

But there’s a darker side to Maru. OK, not a “darker” side, but certainly a side that’s more of a hunter than his friendly, loafing face might suggest. When the big kitty spies a toy he wants, he musters all his energy to get it, and shows surprising speed, agility, and focus in doing so.

For us, it’s just a feather. For Maru, it’s a life or death situation — there’s nothing else in a cat’s world quite like a dangly feather to evoke his feline instincts. It’s like they are magically transformed into their wild ancestors at the mere suggestion of a bird.

Maru tears around the living room, leaping from couch to carpet in hot pursuit of his feather toy. Which he finally catches it, he meows triumphantly, letting everyone know that he is still the king of his castle (and forever the king of cute).

Via Love Meow, photo via Maru’s website