We’ve all given it some thought at one point or another. Are animals much smarter than we give them credit for? Whether it’s a dog that’s learnt how to manipulate his owner to get more food, or a cat that seems to understand what it is we’re talking about, the idea is a common one.

In this case, one funny picture captured by a passerby in Japan has got some internet users jokingly discussing just how clever a cat can be.

The photo was taken by Katsumi (@furuta_katsumi) and uploaded to Twitter, where it gained over 37 thousand retweets and 145 thousand likes.

The sign pictured reads:

A ginger and white cat is looking very intently at the sign, and seems to be giving it some thought. Looking at this image, anyone might start to wonder if this cat has learned how to read human language.

Some commenters chimed in, stating, ‘cats are smart, so they can definitely read’ and ‘he’s read it, but now it looks like he’s agonising over whether to enter or not!’. Others commented on the humorous sign itself, that addresses the pets directly rather than the owners.

If you want to see another perfectly timed viral cat image, check out this kitty’s reaction to seeing J-rock band Man with a Mission for the first time.