Owner Captures 11-Year-Old Cat’s Reaction to First Day in Forever Home

A video of a senior cat’s first night with her new owner has racked up over 1.2 million views on TikTok.

The bittersweet clip shared by Cassandra Trotta, 23, (@emma.emu7) begins with screenshots that give an insight into how 11-year-old Emma ended up in her care.

Trotta, who lives in Columbia, South Carolina, told Newsweek, “I was absolutely heartbroken,” when she came across Emma’s story on Nextdoor, an app for neighborhoods where you can get local tips, buy and sell items, and so on.

The post read: “My sweet neighbor had heart surgery and was recovering at home. Something happened and she passed suddenly. Her cat Emma is going through heartbreak and doesn’t understand where Mary is.”

The poster described Emma and Mary as “best friends” and says she has five dogs, which is why she can’t take the feline in. Trotta and her partner, Zayne Shmidt, 23, were keen to welcome Emma with open arms and decided to pick her up the next day.

Trotta filmed the moment she was let out of her carrier into her new home. She told Newsweek: “The first day we brought her home, she was meowing and confused. She stayed inside her carrier for the first few hours and stuck her head out wanting pets.

“On the same night, while my boyfriend and I were on the couch, she came out of the guest room we were settling her in and she meowed at us for more strokes! Now she sits on the couch with us every night while we watch TV.

“She is coming out of her shell so much faster than we expected; she trusts us already,” Trotta said.

The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty (ASPCA) says 3.2 million cats enter U.S. animal shelters every year are countless senior felines—those over 10 years old. And they are tragically overlooked by potential adopters due to their age.

However, Trotter urges people to give older animals a chance. She said of Emma: “I finally understand the saying, ‘Who saved who?’ because it has been such a treat to us having her here.

“It is wonderful to be able to give her a home that she will spend the rest of her life in,” Trotta added.

So far, the video posted on April 14 has amassed more than 162,000 likes and almost 600 comments.

One user wrote: “I am in my 50s and have a 7YO [year old] cat. One of my biggest fears is dying before her and leaving her orphaned. I’m so glad you took Emma. I hope you’ll be very happy together.”

“Oh I love the three of you. Thank you for bringing her home. I wasn’t expecting to cry but here we are,” posted another user.

A third commenter added: “Thank you for saving this baby and giving her the home she deserves. I just know her owner is looking down so relieved and grateful.”

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