The moment a rescue cat recognized her owner’s fiancée as her mom has melted hearts across the internet.
Li (@liandteddy) shared footage on TikTok showing the orange-and-black tortoiseshell cat, Mrs Pickles, purring and slowly building up the courage to rest on her leg. The clip has already garnered 115,000 likes and 623,300 views on the platform.
Li explained in the video’s text overlay: “My fiancé stole this cat after he witnessed her owner kick her in the head a few years ago, she’s tolerated me and never bit or scratched me bit something over the past few weeks has told me she wants a mommy too.”
She added that she had never considered herself a cat person and said the cat had always connected more strongly with her fiancé. Still, she said the recent shift in affection felt significant for both of them, and she was simply taking in the moment, saying she might not be a cat person, but she is “definitely a Mrs Pickles person.”
In the video, the cat eventually curls up in a ball and continues purring as Li strokes her head. Li narrated the moment in real time, expressing her amazement as the cat settled directly between her legs. She revealed that the cat had never done this before and seemed ready to rest her head on her leg, all while purring loudly. Li said she felt honored, expressed her love for the cat, and joked that she would never move from that spot.
According to PetMD, cats show they feel safe and bonded with someone in several ways: they may curl up on or near a person, purr deeply, knead with their paws, or offer slow blinks. A cat choosing to rest its head or body on someone is a strong indicator of comfort and trust—especially meaningful for a rescue animal that may have experienced trauma.
TikTokers were quick to share their reactions to the touching moment.
“Oh my is she beautiful. And yes you are now ‘hers’ at least a little bit!! A cat purring next to/on you is the most relaxing thing EVER!” said Libby.
“More people need to endorse the ‘I saw an animal being abused so I took it ‘thing,'” said Bridgette.
“When a cat gives you a slow blink like that, it’s trust. You can return the slow blink. She’s lovely,” said Kat.
“Your fiancé saw an animal getting mistreated and saved it from this situation and adopted it ? Ma’am you have a picked a man with a good heart. Like greenest flag ever. Keep him. And the cat,” said Julian.
“She’s purring up a STORM,” added another user.
Newsweek reached out to @liandteddy for comment via Reddit. We could not verify the details of the case.
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