In a viral TikTok video, a woman who recently went to her boyfriend's house for the first time said that, before being officially welcomed, she had to get approval from the "boss" of the house, his cat.
The hilarious post, shared on Friday under the username @notemiilyyyy, shows the fluffy feline standing in front of the woman, staring at her with its eyes wide-open, as if trying to decide whether he should allow her to stay or otherwise.
"When you're at your boyfriend's place for the first time and his cat needs to approve," reads layover text in the clip. The caption adds: "I had to go through the final boss."
In an article shared by Vet Explains Pets, Dr. Jess Kirk, a licensed veterinarian in the state of Georgia, says that cats can indeed love their owners, and not just because they depend them for food and shelter.
And maybe that is why the cat in the video was trying to study the poster, and make sure she was a good fit for its daddy.
Signs that a feline loves you include purring, head-butting, kneading, and following you around the house. Rubbing against you, grooming you, or bringing you gifts such as toys or prey are also common ways cats use to show their love to you.
However, sometimes felines can hate people, too. When a cat doesn't like someone, they will usually avoid that person, or hiss and growl when in their presence. Other signs can be dilated pupils or a puffed-up tail.
Kirk says that, when your cat doesn't like someone, it is important to respect their feelings and not force interaction, but there are things you can do, over time, to help the situation.
Dr. Luqman Javed says in an article published by Catster that, before trying anything, you should give the feline time and space to adapt to the new person on its own. You can then try creating a positive association with treats, as used during training.
The video quickly went viral on social media and has so far received over 4.4 million views and more than 1 million likes on the platform.
One user, Behlheir, commented: "What are your intentions with my hooman?"
Mr. BeaNZy posted: "My hooman keeps bringing strays in."
Bigbratdiana added: "Gonna take him 2-3 business years to warm up to you but he might let you pet him next week or next year, idk [I don't know]."
Newsweek reached out to @notemiilyyyy for comment via TikTok comments. 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.
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