A flea-ridden rescue cat who was found inside a car engine just a few weeks ago is already living his best life, and the internet is obsessed with him going full starfish during a nap.
In July, dog owner Tessa Carroll got a call from a friend who was concerned about her car. It had broken down and she wasn't able to use it for a week. However, when the friend went to check on it and opened the hood, she couldn't believe her ears when she heard a cat meowing from the engine.
It's unclear how the cat got inside, but he certainly couldn't get out. Carroll, from Hawaii, told Newsweek that the cat was "covered in motor oil, completely flee ridden," and malnourished.
"My friend said that he looked up at her and just surrendered as soon as she tried to grab him, he just looked at her and let her take him. I'm assuming that he was ready to be rescued," Carroll said.
It's thought that the cat was only about 5 weeks old when he was found, and Carroll knew straight away that she wanted to help. Before agreeing to adopt the cat, Carroll wanted to ensure he got along with their 6-year-old dog, Melons. She agreed to foster the kitten, named Mango, for a few nights before deciding.
During their first night together, Mango seemed "scared and skittish" but wasn't running away from Melons. He seemed curious but apprehensive, especially given how much larger Melons is.
But within a matter of days, Mango was so much more comfortable. Carroll believes that a major factor in that was Melons being so nurturing and maternal towards the rescue kitten.
"After three or four days of fostering, it looked as though there was potential for Mango to warm up to Melons. Our dog is the most submissive dog and she was just rolling over and inviting him to come say hi. She just wanted to be friends, but she wasn't coming on strong," Carroll said.
"We kept him, and now his orange cat, boy personality is coming out. He's more bold and confident and it only took a couple weeks for him and Melons to get along really well."
Indeed, the duo love snoozing beside each other, as Mango will even fall asleep next to Melons in her dog bed too.
Carroll loves seeing how their bond has developed, and how much Mango has grown in confidence since taking him in. She couldn't resist sharing a video of the cat on TikTok (@tess.carroll1) showing Mango sleeping like a starfish while leaning on the dog (who was cuddle trapped as a result).
The video has left internet users in hysterics, generating more than 1.5 million views and over 364,200 likes on TikTok at the time of writing. He's certainly come a long way since being rescued from a car engine a matter of weeks ago.
Seeing how safe and comfortable Mango is nowadays warms Carroll's heart. She knows she made the right decision in giving the cat his forever home.
She continued: "I think having a loving environment where he felt safe was everything, and I honestly think that Melons had a huge play in that. She was so nurturing and even when we left them alone, we would come home and they'd be cuddling."
The online reaction to the video is beyond anything Carroll anticipated, but she's loved reading all the positive responses. Social media users are overwhelmingly happy for Mango, praising Carroll for turning his life into "a success story," despite a difficult start.
This has led to more than 1,400 comments on the viral TikTok post so far. One comment reads: "Oh he's feeling super safe showing his belly like that."
Another TikTok user joked: "Ma'am that's a starfish."
While one commenter added: "Clearly he hit the jackpot with the human distribution system!"
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