Waking kids up for school can be a daily struggle—but one mom in Boston has found an unlikely solution: her family cat.
In a TikTok video shared in March by Katie McDonald (@maki.suki2), her tabby cat, Suki, is seen jumping onto her daughter’s bed and refusing to leave until the child is fully awake. The video has since gone viral, racking up over 1.2 million views and more than 256,000 likes.
The on-screen text reads: “Taught my cat to wake my child up for school because she doesn’t get an argument. She won’t stop until she actually gets out of bed.” The caption adds: “Was tired of the ‘5 more minutes’ fight every day.”
McDonald, 27, told Newsweek that her daughter used to have meltdowns every morning, begging for more sleep. But one day, Suki started helping—and never stopped.
“Every morning at 7:30 a.m., Suki walks into her room, jumps on the bed, and nudges her until she gets up,” said McDonald. “It was the greatest thing that could’ve happened. We haven’t had a single argument about getting up for school since.”
Surprisingly, Suki didn’t need training or treats to learn the task. McDonald believes the cat simply sensed her frustration. “I honestly don’t even know how she started it,” she said. “She just did it on her own.”
Once the girl is awake, Suki doesn’t stay for cuddles—she quietly exits, letting her sister get ready in peace.
Although training cats isn’t as common as training dogs, experts say it’s possible. In her book Purr: The Science of Making Your Cat Happy, animal behaviorist Zazie Todd explains that cats can be trained using patience and their favorite treats. She also stresses that punishment is harmful and can lead to stress or damaged trust.
The clip drew many amused reactions on TikTok. One user, Mightynight, joked, “Sooo which one of you taught my cat to attack my toes at 5 a.m. exactly every morning?” Another user, Sarah Hughes, wrote: “Awww that’s the happiest lil alarm clock I’ve ever seen.”
As for McDonald, she’s just grateful the morning battles are over—thanks to a furry, four-legged assistant who never hits the snooze button.
