Paw → small object → it moves. Brain logs "prey behavior confirmed." Toy, pen, water glass: all read the same.
Cats run little gravity experiments. Edge of table is the lab bench. Cup is the variable. Result rarely disappoints.
You react every time. Yelling counts. Reaction = reward. Behavior gets reinforced even when you think you're punishing it.
Paws and whiskers probe edges, weight, texture. The cup falling is a side effect of testing where the table ends.
Indoor cat with no prey, no climb, no puzzle. Table becomes the stage. The fix isn't discipline — it's a taller cat tree, scheduled play, and food puzzles.