In life, you can’t please everyone, and that includes pets, too—as seen in a viral video of a cat who was forced out of his comfort zone and no amount of attention could make it better.
In the TikTok video, shared by owner Emma (@emmacolleen21), her tabby cat, who has mastered the art of giving dirty looks, can be seen sitting on the floor and seemingly judging everyone in the room.
The clip, captioned “getting the stank eye for bringing him to another house (WHERE EVERYONE GUSHED OVER HIM AND PET HIM),” has gathered over 363,000 views.
The Texas-based feline is clearly a homebody, as he appears desperate to return to his own space. The text overlaid on the video reads: “We took him outside of the house for ONE HOUR to visit friends, and this is how he’s acting now.”
The video also features a woman, sitting on the sofa, asking what she did to the cat to warrant his hostile behavior. The camera then flips to show the shocked woman, who adds: “He is being so mean.”
While the owner’s friend seems offended by the cat’s attitude, the internet can’t help but laugh, and some users can even relate.
“This is me when my social battery is gone,” said one user. Another wrote: “He’s an introvert who was forced to socialize.”
“He said, ‘wrap it up,'” joked a third commenter on the clip that has over 79,000 likes.
A fourth user added: “Cats don’t just go visit people’s houses. They are very territorial, and the unfamiliar smells and environment stress them out. That’s why moving is stressful for cats.”
A stock image of an angry tabby cat sitting on a sofa. TikTok users can relate to a clip of an anti-sociable cat being forced to visit his owner’s friend’s house.
Carlo de Ruiter/iStock/Getty Images Plus
Indeed, it is rare for a cat to accompany their owner on outings far from home. Both male and female cats are territorial, but males may defend larger territories than females, according to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA). A cat’s perceived territory could be the entire house or part of it, the yard, the block, or the neighborhood. They may even show aggression when they feel their territory is under threat. In this case, the feline was taken away from his territory, which made him feel uncomfortable.
This is because cats do not tend to like change, according to a Catster article written by Chris Dinesen Rogers, a science-focused pet writer. Cats prefer a predictable routine, as this gives them a higher chance of survival, while any change is viewed as a potential threat.
Newsweek reached out to @emmacolleen21 for comment via TikTok. We could not 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 life@newsweek.com with some details about your best friend and they could appear in our Pet of the Week lineup.
