My toddler wont leave the cat alone!!!?

My son who is 2 1/2 is that way with Grandpa's dog. It is a phase that all kids go through. I'm pretty sure that all of us who had pets growing up went through it. Your daughter is curious as to how the cat will react as well as to how you will react to certain situations. She's also testing you to see if the punishment will be consistant everytime.