Jeff Himstedt’s TikTok video of his cat delivering kittens on him drew both admiration and criticism—but the feline family is now thriving.
When Jeff Himstedt’s cat, Tay Tay, began giving birth, she bypassed the cozy nesting boxes he’d prepared—opting instead for his lap. The unexpected moment, captured in a now-viral TikTok video, has divided viewers, but for Himstedt, it was simply another chapter in life with his unconventional pet.
An Unplanned Delivery
Tay Tay, an 18-month-old cat adopted from a neighbor, has always defied expectations. “I’m not a huge cat person,” Himstedt admits to PEOPLE. “But she acts more like a dog—she comes and goes as she pleases.”
Despite his initial indifference to cats, Himstedt was fully invested when Tay Tay went into labor on him. “I had boxes set up around the house,” he recalls. “But when she started on my lap, I thought, Alright, this is how it’s going to happen.”
The birth unfolded rapidly. Moments after texting his girlfriend that Tay Tay seemed ready, the first kitten arrived. “Twenty seconds later, here they come,” he says, laughing. Himstedt filmed parts of the chaotic yet intimate experience, sharing it online—where reactions quickly split.
Mixed Responses Online
The TikTok video drew millions of views, with some viewers moved by the raw moment and others criticizing Himstedt’s handling of the situation.
“It’s totally 50/50,” he says. “Some think I’m the worst person ever for animals. Others see the follow-up videos where I’m helping her through it.” Critics questioned why Tay Tay wasn’t spayed earlier or accused him of negligence, but Himstedt responded with humor and shrugged off the backlash.
A Happy, Healthy Feline Family
Tay Tay delivered five kittens, though one did not survive. The remaining four are thriving, with Himstedt planning to keep two—one for his family farm and another for a relative—while rehoming the others.
Despite the online debate, Tay Tay has embraced motherhood. “She’s doing great, though the nights get long,” he says. Reflecting on the ordeal, Himstedt advises pet owners to “educate yourself beforehand—I was Googling ‘what happens to the placenta’ mid-delivery.”
For now, the focus is on the kittens’ growth—and Tay Tay’s bond with the family, lap births and all.
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