Why are cats scared of cucumbers?

You may have seen the viral videos of cats jumping 10 feet into the air when they spot a cucumber - but why do they find the vegetables so frightening? Anita says it's simply because it's a foreign object that they're not expecting to see behind them. But it also has to do with the fact that "its shape resembles a snake, so they see it as a threat or an unknown predator." And in case you're tempted to try this at home, don't. Experts advise that this prank can actually be quite tramautising for your feline friends. 

source: https://www.goodhousekeeping.com/