Not all storylines in Friends were a hit with viewers, and in some cases, not even with the cast. Such is the case of season 4’s episode “The One With The Cat”, but there’s a reason why its story was so peculiar. Created by David Crane and Marta Kauffman, Friends debuted on NBC in 1994 and came to an end in 2004 after ten successful seasons and a lot of memorable moments and jokes. Phoebe, Monica, Rachel, Joey, Chandler and Ross went through many ups and downs during that time, including some very bizarre storylines.

Friends saw the aforementioned group dealing with their jobs, sentimental partners, families (more so as each character had a complicated family life), and their own eccentricities. Phoebe Buffay, for example, went through a lot of weird situations and met a lot of strange people, which fitted her character quite well as she was the most eccentric of the bunch. Phoebe also had the most tragic family story, as her (adoptive) mother committed suicide when she was young, and she ended up living in the street.

Related: Friends: The One Episode With Two Phoebes (In The Same Scene)

Phoebe talked about her mother a couple of times, but there was one episode that was too strange even for her, and in it, she was sure her mother reincarnated in a cat that approached her at Central Park. But as weird as it was, there’s a reason why this storyline was approved, even if the cast wasn’t fully on board with it.

Friends: Why ‘The One With The Cat’ Made It To The Show

Phoebe sitting down with a cat on Friends

"The One With The Cat” saw Chandler and Joey selling the entertainment unit only to have it stolen (as well as other furniture) and being forced to accept a canoe. Monica received a call from Chip Matthews, her high school crush and Rachel’s prom date, and found out that he was still pretty much a high schooler. As for Phoebe, after her performance at Central Park, she found a cat in her guitar case, and was convinced that it was her mother, having taken the body of a cat and paying a visit to her. It was later revealed that the cat got lost and their owners were looking for it – and Ross was right all along.

The cast reportedly didn’t like that storyline much, and though it’s easy to see why, it had a lot of sentimental value to one of the series' creators. The story goes that Marta Kauffman pitched the idea for the episode after her mother passed away, which is why it’s dedicated to her. “The One With The Cat” doesn’t have much impact on the subsequent episodes, except for Chandler and Joey’s new canoe, so its only legacy with viewers is being a weird storyline in Phoebe’s arc, but for those behind Friends, it has a completely different meaning and served a special purpose.

Next: Why Phoebe Had The BEST Ending In Friends