Cat Who Demands Owner Protect Them With Umbrella Seen in Hilarious Video

A cat forcing her owner to follow her around with an umbrella during her daily walk has the internet applauding.

Concerned about their 18-year-old cat Smudge's weight, owners Kaia Bint Savage and her partner Matt created a gentle exercise regime for the 22-pound feline. This includes a daily walk, but the couple quickly discovered that Smudge would refuse to go outside if it was raining.

"We knew she'd be put off by the heavy downpour, so Matt had the idea to use our umbrella to keep her dry, whilst still letting her stretch her legs," Savage told Newsweek.

Savage shared a clip of the British shorthair enjoying a stroll near their home in Berkshire, England, to her TikTok account (@smudgeandfriends). It's raining in the video, but fortunately Matt is following close behind with a large pink umbrella. He holds it over Smudge as she toddles along, slowly making her way along the path and through the hills.

The adorable footage received 2.8 million views and over 588,000 likes, but this isn't the first time that Smudge has gone viral.

She was already a plus-sized puss when Savage adopted her a few years ago. Despite their efforts to keep her healthy, the rescue cat's weight mysteriously continued to rise, putting pressure on her joints and aggravating her arthritis.

Savage and Matt eventually figured out that Smudge was stealing her sister Ruby's food, but her decline in mobility was also contributing to her weight gain. After a conversation with their vet in May, they devised a plan to help Smudge slim down slowly and steadily.

This included a daily walk, beginning with trips to the end of the yard. Savage posted a video online, with Smudge's grumpy face and reluctant waddle winning hearts all over the internet. Smudge now has over 62,000 followers on TikTok following her journey to fitness.

"She gets a lot of commenters saying they can see the difference in both her weight and movement," Savage said. "A lot of people have mentioned her hard work is inspiring them to get healthier and stick to a routine."

At first, Smudge struggled to walk the length of the 40-yard garden and back. Now, she can walk three times that distance, and has been trying walks uphill, too.

"Smudge is doing really well, and despite the odd grumpy day where she just won't budge, has been sticking to her daily walk," Savage said.

Her weight is now down to 18.5 pounds. Smudge loves to explore, but either Matt or Savage accompanies her while out and about.

"We always joke that we are her servants," Savage said. "Matt also has arthritis, so he knows how important it is first-hand to keep Smudge moving.

"He was super-motivated to find a way to keep her happy in inclement weather," she added.

TikTok users praised Matt for protecting Smudge from the rain, with the video receiving over 1,700 comments.

"Real men hold umbrellas over their cats on their daily walk so the cat stays dry," commented El. "What a wonderful servant she has," agreed Paula Rose.

"She's got men eating out of the palm of her hand," wrote Lauren.

"Anything for the one and only QUEEN SMUDGE," posted Baby Mochi.

"Her majesty has decreed that NOTHING gets in the way of her afternoon constitutional," joked Faith.

"She's so extra I love it," wrote Monet, while Rachael commented: "Thank you butler for doing this for her."

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