Woman Brings Home 'Stupidest Purchase' and Shows Cat—Has Instant Regret
Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content.
A woman who bought a "creepy" cat statue captured the moment her own pet cat met the new member of the family for the first time, with unexpected results.
The woman, 32 and from Texas, who goes by Kitty, recently lost her cat, Mia, who she described to Newsweek as a "once in a lifetime cat."
"She was affectionate, friendly, confident and all she wanted was to live in your skin," she said.
As Mia recently passed away, Kitty found herself looking through old photos and videos of the gorgeous tortoiseshell cat, and rediscovered one from 11 years ago—which she decided to share with people on TikTok.
At the time, Kitty had found a bizarre-looking cat lawn ornament at a department store, which she aptly named "SpookyCat," and "stuck googly eyes on it cause it has dead eyes."
After taking SpookyCat home, she called Mia into the room to see what she would make of it—and as she put it to Newsweek, "I did not think she would react like that."
In the video, posted to Kitty's TikTok @ifight4rumplegoocher on August 9 and described in a caption as "Mia meeting the stupidest purchase I've ever made," Kitty first shows off the hunched-over lawn ornament, complete with googly eyes.
And as she calls Mia, the cat instantly comes running—only to freeze stock-still, in the same hunched-over position as the lawn ornament. Kitty starts giggling, as Mia remains frozen, not moving a muscle, her ears flat on her head and rump stuck up into the sky.
SpookyCat the statue, and Mia's reaction.
SpookyCat the statue, and Mia's reaction.
TikTok @ifight4rumplegoocher
Kitty moves to show Mia's face as the cat begins flicking her tail in frustration, showing Mia's face, which is wide-eyed, her pupils dilated.
She finishes the video by showing Mia that SpookyCat isn't real, and apologizing: "I'm sorry, I'm done."
Mia showed classic cat body language signs that she was not happy: eyes open with wide pupils, lip licking, puffed up fur, flattened back ears and slow, guarded movement are all signs of a stressed cat, according to Cats Protection.
However, Kitty told Newsweek: "I figured she'd be concerned or curious. It was so unexpected. She never reacted like that to anything before or after!"
Mia puffs up her body to look intimidating, as the googly-eyed statue stares back at her.
Mia puffs up her body to look intimidating, as the googly-eyed statue stares back at her.
TikTok @ifight4rumplegoocher
And as some people in the comments complained it was cruel to do this, and that Mia was clearly stressed out, Kitty added in the caption that she did "not expect her to react this intensely."
"I promise you I didn't torment her or do this regularly," she wrote, adding that Mia was "very deeply loved and lived a good life."
Kitty's video exploded in popularity, racking up more than 4.4 million viewed and close to 1 million likes, as one described it as "the cat equivalent of us meeting a wendigo pretty much."
Another joked: "Congrats! Now you have two cat statues," while one laughed at Mia's "immediate pause."
And one, sharing their condolences after Mia's death, wrote: "She brought joy to many with this vid. It was a precious moment captured."
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.
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Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Don't snoop through your partner's phone. Learn to sleuth instead
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And so many people are online: Seventy percent of American adults are on Facebook, 50% on Instagram, and 33% on TikTok, according to a 2024 survey. Sleuthing is easier these days with the creation of websites that can locate dating profiles, apps that track location, and most notably, social media platforms that allow you to see everyone who a person follows and the content they like. It's all there for anyone to mine. That was the case with Emma. 'I had already been kind of suspicious of this boyfriend for a while,' Emma said. 'So I was sleuthing through (his) TikTok following, and it was just girl after girl after girl of those OnlyFans models and anime cosplayers that, you know, cosplay minor characters in very inappropriate ways.' Is sleuthing OK to do? 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'I think social media is a great way of getting an idea without waiting for someone to show you, or without having to break someone's boundaries and invade their privacy,' said Diana Prime, a relationship coach on Instagram and TikTok. 'If someone has adult-rated content, if they're following OnlyFans models, that is enough to not continue a relationship with that person because it gives you an insight to what they do.' Is snooping through someone's phone still wrong? Yes, Warren said. Snooping is also a sign of other troubles, such as not respecting your partner, Prime said. In that case, you're 'not going to think twice about invading their privacy.' Generally, sleuthing 'is different in the sense that the material online is often public — so the deceptive element of violating a partner's personal boundaries is less pronounced,' said Warren, author of 'Letting Go of Your Ex: CBT Skills to Heal the Pain of a Breakup and Overcome Love Addiction.' Think of it like this: Say you're sitting beside a partner and happen to glimpse a notification on their phone. 'You've done nothing wrong,' Corbo said. 'I think it's when you go behind somebody's back to retrieve information that they're not giving you permission for — I think that's when a violation has occurred.' You're already in breakup territory if you're feeling like your partner's behavior leaves you no other option but to snoop. 'That's a deeper-rooted problem that will lead to bigger issues down the road, and that's enough to walk away from someone, because what happens when you find information by snooping is that you hurt your own feelings times 10,' she said. 'It will do you more damage to snoop through that person's phone than to honor your own intuition about something being off,' Prime added. 'What within you wants to play things out, versus just trusting yourself the first time?' If your ex-partners have treated you badly and you're regularly suspicious of a partner who hasn't given you a reason to be, Corbo suggested evaluating your feelings and considering the evidence before you assume the worst. Get inspired by a weekly roundup on living well, made simple. Sign up for CNN's Life, But Better newsletter for information and tools designed to improve your well-being. CNN's Kristen Rogers contributed to this report. Solve the daily Crossword
Newsweek
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Is Meghan Markle's New Netflix Deal a Win For Her?
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Meghan Markle and Prince Harry have signed a new Netflix deal on different terms, sparking a debate about whether it represents a victory or a loss for the couple. The Duchess of Sussex is preparing to drop the second season of her cooking show With Love, Meghan later in August. And she was this week able to shoot down media rumors that Netflix were going to dump her with the announcement of a new multi-year contract. Meghan Markle during filming of With Love, Meghan season one which was released by Netflix in March 2025. Meghan Markle during filming of With Love, Meghan season one which was released by Netflix in March 2025. 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What to Know Meghan said that she and Harry were extending their deal for films and TV shows with Netflix on Monday, saying the couple were inspired to "create thoughtful content across genres that resonates globally, and celebrates our shared vision." U.K. brand and culture expert Nick Ede, who predicted in July that a first-look deal would be the likely outcome of negotiations, said after Monday's announcement: "I see it as a win for Meghan and for Harry to have Netflix, it's still one of the biggest outputters of entertainment, still backing them in this way. "They're still going to have some of their office costs paid for and development costs paid for," he told Newsweek. Alongside the new deal, Meghan and Harry were able to announce a holiday special for With Love, due for release in December, as well as a new documentary, Masaka Kids, A Rhythm Within. The latter is based around an orphanage in Masaka, Uganda, home to what a press release calls "a vibrant, one-of-a-kind community where orphaned children transform hardship into joy, dancing their way toward healing, belonging, and the promise of a brighter future." It is due out later in 2025. Netflix is also an equity partner in Meghan's online shop, As Ever, which sells wine and products like jam, tea and honey featured in her cooking show. "We've got the second season of With Love, Meghan to come out, and we've got the Christmas special and Netflix have got the investment in the actual brand itself," Ede said. "So I don't think this is a fail. It's almost a bit like a natural progression. We know there's no more room for a kiss and tell. "That's what they did at the beginning, that's how they dangled the carrot and why Netflix bit. 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And Meghan and Harry have swerved the reputational injury that losing Netflix as a partner would have represented, although Ede argues the pressure is still on to produce great content. "Archewell is... a production company which has big salaries for big people in there who have come up with lots of ideas and... many of those ideas haven't seen the light of day," he said. "It's really important to show some more success, and to work out what success looks like and create content that people really want to see." He pointed to the example of Barak and Michelle Obama, who pivoted to producing shows that were not about their lives, such as 2023 series Leave the World Behind, starring Mahershala Ali, Julia Roberts, Kevin Bacon and Ethan Hawke. "That's what Archewell need to do," said Ede. What People Are Saying Former BBC royal correspondent Jenny Bond, asked whether the Netflix deal was like a phoenix emerging from the ashes for Meghan, replied: "We have to accept that it is us, the media, who created those ashes. There was no statement from Harry and Meghan, no indication at any point, but we all decided that the Netflix deal was dead in the water, so it's one in the eye for all her detractors. "They have won," she added. "Meghan has won and we have to eat humble pie." Eric Schiffer, chairman of Reputation Management Consultants, told Newsweek Meghan's lifestyle rebrand was like a "manufactured Martha Stewart and fans and those that are watching for the first time will cringe. Netflix is about data and the data from what I understand is not good." PR expert Mark Borkowski told the Daily Mail: "Netflix has done a very neat job of pivoting away from two very expensive people who didn't deliver, and they've taken that deal off the table, and they've given them a modest one. "It's not like they're gradually uncoupling—it's a downgrade. Netflix are not going to expose themselves to those budgets again." U.K. satirical show Have I Got News for You posted on X: "Netflix have signed a new deal that gives them 'first refusal' on Harry and Meghan's show ideas, frustrating rival streamers who wanted to have the rights to say no first." Jennie Bond (UK royal expert) : You talk about ashes but I think we have to accept that it is us the media who CREATE THOSE Ashes, There was not statement from Harry and Meghan and no indication at any point but we all decided that the Netflix deal was dead in the water . I... — DejaHudson( Sussex squad)(H&M) 🇧🇸🇧🇸🇧🇸 (@ChanteHudson4) August 12, 2025 What Happens Next Season two of With Love, Meghan is expected to drop later in August, while a holiday special is expected at Christmas. Jack Royston is chief royal correspondent for Newsweek, based in London. You can find him on X, formerly Twitter, at @jack_royston and read his stories on Newsweek's The Royals Facebook page. Do you have a question about Charles and Queen Camilla, William and Kate, Meghan Markle and Harry, or their family that you would like our experienced royal correspondents to answer? Email royals@ We'd love to hear from you.
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