The American novelist Mark Twain once said that "it's not the size of the dog in the fight that counts. What really matters is the size of the fight in the dog." Wise words.
And they don't just apply to our furry canine friends. Because as one brave kitty recently showed, with enough fight inside them, cats can take on the biggest bullies.
Fighting for your life
This cat had a run-in with a coyote while out on its midnight adventure in Surfside, Texas, USA. The battle took place on the porch of a beach house.
Footage from a CCTV camera shows the coyote stalking and lunging at the kitty. The cat finds cover under a sun-lounger at first. But when it realises that the coyote isn't going away, the fearless feline decides to come out fighting.
It launches at the coyote with teeth and claws bared, forcing the much larger animal to retreat. The pair go back and forth a few more times, with the coyote almost grabbing the cat in its snapping jaws.
Finally the cat decides to make the smart move. Knowing that it can't beat the coyote in a straight-up scrap, the cat uses its superior athletic ability to scale a nearby post, putting itself out of harm's way.
8 lives left!
The cat clings to the post as the coyote tries to figure out a way to reach its target. But the coyote eventually gives up and disappears into the night, searching for an easier target.
The cat didn't 'win' this fight. But that doesn't matter. When you're facing off against a ruthless predator, the only thing you have to do is not lose!
Related video: