A touching moment between a shelter cat and a visitor has gone viral on TikTok, moving millions of viewers with its raw emotion and charm.
The cat, a male brown tabby, was caught on camera reaching through the bars of his kennel in a desperate attempt to connect with a woman walking by. The woman, who goes by @spring.brewzz on TikTok, shared the video on June 11. Since then, it has been viewed over 6.2 million times and received more than 1.3 million likes.
In the short clip, the tabby is seen eagerly jumping and extending his paws through the kennel bars while meowing loudly. The woman, touched by the gesture, reaches out and gently takes his paw. Although she had originally planned to adopt a black cat, the tabby’s determination changed everything.
“I went to the animal shelter looking for a black cat, and this brown tabby had other plans to steal our hearts,” read the text overlay in the video. In the caption, she added: “Needless to say, I made the best choice picking him. He was in there with like six kittens and he was ready to leave with us. My Rey Rey’s.”
Now named Reyno, the cat has since turned one, according to the woman’s TikTok bio.
The heartwarming adoption story has sparked over 4,000 comments from viewers who praised Reyno’s dramatic efforts to connect with his new owner. Some joked about his theatrical behavior, while others expressed sadness over the large number of animals still waiting for homes.
Data from the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) shows that 5.8 million dogs and cats entered U.S. shelters and rescues in 2024 alone.
Comments under the video reflect the emotional impact of the moment. “That’s not the purpose of an animal shelter—you don’t get to choose a cat, the cats get to choose you,” one viewer wrote. “He’s so desperate,” another said. “He was doing tricks for you,” a third added.
Others shared their own adoption stories. “That’s how my baby picked me too,” one user commented. Another wrote, “You’ve been chosen, human.”
The video serves as a reminder of the deep bonds animals can form with people—and how sometimes, it’s the pet that chooses the person.
