A video of a stray kitten that a Texas woman saved following cold temperatures that hit Texas this week has quickly gone viral online.
With the weather in the teens and a wind chill almost in the negatives, Jessica Blount could not stand the thought of the stray cats surviving the unusual cold. She tried to bring inside three of them, but was only able to rescue one.
Blount kept this new kitten in her daughter’s room, which has been its safe haven as she adjusts to the indoor lifestyle. Plus, the family already has a calico cat. Blount wanted to keep them separated until the stray kitten was completely vetted and acquainted, she told Newsweek via email.
In a TikTok video posted by Blount (@jessicablount6) on Tuesday, which quickly reached 10.3 million views as of Friday afternoon, the stray cat can be seen making herself comfortable like she is “home now.” There is no harm in that, especially since the family already named the kitten.
“My daughter named the cat Spinach because her favorite book is Adventures in Fosterland, featuring a cat named Spinach that looks exactly like the one that we brought into our home,” Blount said.
Blount’s daughter fell in love with Spinach, leading to the decision to keep her. They brought her to the vet for her first round of shots on Wednesday. Spinach will then get neutered next month. The vet believes Spinach is about 13 weeks.
Other than being a little afraid of going to the vet, Spinach has seemed happy, Blount told Newsweek. Their other cat named Princess, however, not so much.
“[Princess] is pretty set in her ways and she knows the cat is there, so she has let it know a few times through light hissing that this was her home first,” Blount said. “She will eventually adjust once it is completely vetted and we can slowly acclimate them.”
Jessica Blount
Saving Spinach was just one small act Blount did to help with the stray cat population issue, plus she keeps a list of local rescues with ways to donate.
On its website, the National Feline Research Council (NFRC) says that there is no rigorous estimate for the number of feral cats living in the United States. However, estimates range from around 32 million to 100 million.
“There is a massive dumping issue in East Texas and little to no funds to help with the issue,” Blount told Newsweek. “The animals are dumped, not spayed/neutered, they reproduce, and then it becomes an even bigger issue.”
TikTok Users React
TikTok users have fallen in love with this family’s selfless act to rescue the stray cat, jokingly claiming that the cat distribution selected them.
“Ma’am that’s your cat now,” commented one user.
Another added: “You have been chosen. Accept it, and love on. The cat distribution system is working hard to fulfill your unspoken wish. You are loved.”
“That’s because it is his home now. What a motor on that little guy!” a third commented.
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.