Moment Rescue Cat Who Had Never Had a Home Cuddles Owner for the First Time

A cat that lived in shelters his entire life and was later shown sitting on his owner's lap for the first time has melted the hearts of users on social media.

The viral clip was posted on TikTok by @meowmixes and has had more than 5.7 million views since it was shared on Sunday. The footage shows a woman looking at her phone while sitting on a sofa. A message overlaid on the clip reads: "I adopted Atlas two months ago and had accepted that he just likely wasn't a lap cat." The message adds, "Then today..." as an orange-hued cat is seen laying on the woman's lap and looking up at her.

Estimated to be around 5 years old, Atlas is "an orange tabby, with a touch of Maine Coon," his owner Carolyn told Newsweek. She is a 26-year-old graphic designer based in Connecticut who did not share her last name. Carolyn said that, when she first said hello to Atlas at the shelter, "he started rubbing up against the bars of his crate and I knew he felt the same connection."

The shelter said he had "been bounced around and had struggled with dental issues, but was ready for a forever home."

Atlas was brought home from the CT Cat Connection shelter in Windsor, Connecticut, which Carolyn visited in search of a feline companion for her resident cat Karma. "As far as the shelter could tell from his records, he'd been living in shelters his whole life and had never had a home of his own," Carolyn said.

In a later comment, the poster added: "They weren't optimistic for his level of affection. But I was hopeful he just needed time and love!"

Atlas being initially hesitant towards sitting on the lap of his owner is understandable because our feline friends are "sensitive to changes," said a September 2020 study in Animals.

For most cats, "placement in a shelter is a stressful experience because of changes in routine, environment and the presence of other animals," the study added.

Each year, 6.3 million pets enter U.S. shelters, which is an average of 17,260 a day, according to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.

The number of dogs and cats taken in by pet shelters hit 46,807 during January 2023, an increase of 1,744 compared with January 2022, the 24Pet 'Shelter Watch Report' found. Around 920,000 surrendered animals are euthanized every year. Shelters are striving to minimize euthanasia rates by promoting adoption campaigns, spaying and neutering programs, and behavior rehabilitation.

The cat in the latest viral clip is seen with his back arched down and his bottom lifted towards the ceiling. His tail curls upwards as the woman moves her hands along his back. He later lowers his bottom down as the woman caresses his head before the clip ends.

Carolyn the cat owner said: "When I picked him up, he snuggled into my arms. I knew right away that he was meant to come home with me..."

Carolyn added that Atlas was "a little cautious but so curious" when he was first brought home, spending a while pressing his paws into the mattress. "It was clear he'd never been on a bed before. He was so happy to be in an actual home," Carolyn said.

She added that "he never sat on my lap, instead showing his affection through purring and kneading. I knew he needed time to adjust, and if he never became a lap cat, I could accept that as long as he was happy."

After being shown how to play with toys and gradually being introduced to his new sister Karma, the cat siblings can now "peacefully nap next to each other," Carolyn said.

"He opens up more each and every day, and I'm so, so excited to see what the coming years together will bring," she added.

'The Way He Looked at You'

Several users on TikTok were moved by the scene in the latest viral clip.

Diane Bohnert wrote: "The way he looked at you."

User @mojicat_ posted: "That look he gave you is priceless..."

User @caitlin commented: "he said 'okay, I'm ready for loved and I'm ready to tell you myself' orange cats are the SWEETEST."

Kamillathebricky wrote: "You gave Him the time he needed too know that you Are his person."

Newsweek has contacted the original poster for comment via TikTok and Instagram.

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.