Every day is tough for stray cats, even more so in the winter, when the cold makes it harder for them to find food and a safe refuge, limiting their chances of survival.
A stray cat from Chicago got lucky this winter after finding a kind-hearted woman who decided to open her doors to him during the snowstorm that hit the area last week.
In a viral clip shared on TikTok on Saturday by the woman, under the username bllowe97, the black cat can be seen entering the poster’s home from a glass door, with his fur coated in snow, making his way into the living room.
A caption shared along with the post says: “When you bring in the stray neighborhood cat during the snowstorm.” The poster added: “I named him Mr. Moonpie.”
Photo-illustration by Newsweek/Getty
Each year 6.3 million pets enter U.S. shelters, which is an average of 17,260 a day, according to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. The number of dogs and cats taken in by pet shelters hit 46,807 during January 2023, an increase of 1,744 compared with January 2022, the 24Pet Shelter Watch Report found.
Around 920,000 surrendered animals are euthanized every year. Shelters are striving to minimize euthanasia rates by promoting adoption campaigns, spaying and neutering programs, and behavior rehabilitation.
The Humane Society of the United States says that even though cats have thick fur, they still suffer from extreme cold, and urges people who live in areas that get freezing to give stray cats shelter during the cold months, making sure they have a safe refuge as well as food and water.
The video quickly went viral on social media, getting viewers from across TikTok. It has so far received over 11.6 million views and 2.7 million likes on the platform.
One user, Kinsey, commented: “I love Tom cats, there was one in our neighborhood when I was a child… I named Sunshine he bit everyone but me.” And Raquel said: “Being chosen by a tomcat void like that is such a privilege.”
Kell wrote: “Mr Moon is a tom cat keep him get him fixed so he doesn’t spray all over your crib but I LOVE HIM.”
Another user, Hannah Corinne McRae said: “Omg he has tom cat cheeks! most likely will lose them once fixed, he’s so cute.” And Angel Marceleno added: “He looks like a pretend stray to get fed by every neighbor on the block. beautiful.”
Newsweek reached out to bllowe97 for comment via TikTok chat. We couldn’t verify the details of the case.
Do you have funny and adorable videos or pictures of your pet you want to share? Send them to [email protected] with some details about your best friend and they could appear in our Pet of the Week lineup.
Uncommon Knowledge
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.