Hearts Break for Cat Crying When Owners Leave on Vacation

Cats have often been stereotyped as being independent and aloof, especially compared to dogs, but one furry friend has broken hearts online after showing off his emotional side in a social media video, where he was captured crying on an indoor security camera moments after his owners left for a vacation.

The viral video, which has been viewed more than 10.1 million times to date, introduced TikTokers to Pawl the cat and how attached he is to his owners. The cat can be seen trudging sadly around his home while wailing and meowing for his owners.

"Checked our cameras 10 minutes after we left for vacation and this is what I saw," the video's creator wrote across the post.

"Instant heartbreak. Almost turned the car around to take Pawl with us."

Although dogs are thought to be more prone to separation anxiety than cats, many of whom are content to roam around their neighborhoods alone for hours, cats can still suffer from separation worries to the same degree or feel unsettled when left alone.

According to Chicago's Metropolitan Veterinary Center, the symptoms of separation anxiety in cats are as obvious as they are in dogs. The warning signs that owners should look out for include, "excessive meowing, crying or moaning, eating too fast or not eating at all, elimination outside of the litter box, and destructive behavior."

Taking small actions like leaving the TV on while out so that your cat can listen to a comforting noise, or leaving a blanket with them that carries your scent can alleviate some of the emotional pain that cats suffering from separation anxiety face.

What Do the Comments Say?

Since it was shared to the social media platform on September 5 by @CatNamedPawl, the TikTok post has been liked by over 1.4 million users and commented on more than 12,000 times.

One user asked: "You have a cat sitter coming right?"

"Get him a cat sitter! I love hanging out with people's pets while they're away, especially the kitties," advised another user.

A different user commented: "That is so heartbreaking I would have turned around."

The TikTok post can be seen here.

Newsweek reached out to @CatNamedPawl for comment via TikTok.

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