Hearts Melt as 'Traumatized' Rescue Kitten Learns to Trust in Forever Home

The story of a rescued 6-month-old ragdoll cat named Oscar has captured hearts online after going viral on TikTok.

Oscar recently found himself in his third home, where his new owner has been sharing his journey on video-sharing app TikTok under the handle @oscartheragdollcat.

In a clip that now has over 266,000 views, Oscar was introduced alongside a caption that read: "Meet Oscar, a 6-month-old ragdoll that has been in two homes already in his short little life. He was covered in feces, which we don't blame the people who had him for at all; they likely didn't know. He was traumatized due to dogs, so we have taken him in. He's such a beautiful boy; we can't wait to get to know him."

The poster said how they decided not to film his arrival as he was very scared when he first arrived—bolting and hiding for the first two hours.

Cats get stressed and nervous just like humans, and it can be useful to know the signs to look out for, so you know if your feline friend is feeling uncomfortable.

The Cats Protection charity says that signs of stressed cats can include changes in behavior such as increased hiding, excessive grooming, reduced appetite, and destructive behavior such as scratching furniture. The PDSA charity also lists signs of fear in cats, including freezing in place, running away, hiding, and defensive postures such as crouching low to the ground.

"Building trust with an animal that's been through a very tough period is very important," the owner said alongside another video. "He needs to learn himself that he is safe with us and he'll never be forced into anything."

As days passed, more videos of Oscar's progress were shared. Just 48 hours after his arrival, he was already allowing his new owners to pet him, demonstrating a newfound trust and safety.

There are plenty of ideas for how to comfort frightened cats, like how cat owner Kelsey captured the moment that her shy cat decided to come out of hiding for their games night, or the cat owner that was praised for using "gentle parenting" on a scared kitty.

In the comments on Oscar's videos, people have been sharing their joy at seeing his confidence slowly grow.

"Earning the trust of an animal is truly one of the greatest feelings," Jaz posted, while Lisa added: "Ragdolls are the best. Look how quickly he got comfortable with you. It's such a shame he's been unsettled in his short life."

Julie commented: "What a beautiful boy and thank you for rescuing him. He is going to live his best life now."

A week into his new home, his owners shared another milestone in a video with the caption: "Look what our beautiful kitten did today for those that have followed him from last week will know how big of a deal this is." In the clip, Oscar has taken himself onto the lap of his new owner and is gladly accepting fuss and attention.

As people continue to rally around the young ragdoll cat, his new owners have been clear that they will continue to share Oscar's progress on their social-media account, adding that he is now in his forever home.

Newsweek reached out to @oscartheragdollcat via TikTok for comment.