Man's Girlfriend Leaves the House, Cat Instantly Makes Feeling Known

Newsweek

4 hours ago

Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources.
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A hilarious TikTok video has gone viral for a cat's unsubtle display of favoritism.
In the clip, a man's orange cat immediately attacked him the moment his girlfriend left the house, prompting him to question why his feline—not hers—had taken up such allegiances. Since the video was posted, it has received over 2.2 million likes and more than 8.4 million views.
"Throwback to when my cat would immediately attack me when my girlfriend left," the man captioned the video. "He'd choose her every time."
In the video, as the door clicks shut, the man's cat abruptly turns on him, launching persistent attacks on his legs. This shift in the cat's demeanor resonated with viewers who recognized the familiar orange cat attitude.
"The fact he's your cat is so … funny to me," one person wrote. "He worked way too hard as your wingman to see you just let her walk out that door."
"Imagine getting into an argument and your partner storms out then all of a sudden your cat just starts attacking you," another speculated.
Many commenters attributed the behavior to the cat's breed or typical feline traits: "This is just regular orange cat behavior," one user said, while another wrote: "This is wild. I'm usually one of those people that gaslights others when it comes to 'Your cat attacked me after you left.' But there's no gaslighting to do here."
However, one user offered a more scientific explanation, pointing to a common behavioral issue in felines: redirected aggression.
Stock photo: A Persian cat appears angry.
Stock photo: A Persian cat appears angry.
Boyloso/Getty Images
What Is Redirected Aggression?
This phenomenon occurs when a cat is highly agitated or aroused by something they cannot reach or direct their aggression toward, so, instead, they lash out at a person or another animal nearby.
VCA Animal Hospitals said in a blog post: "Redirected aggression occurs when a cat is aroused by another animal, person or event, but is unable to direct aggression toward the stimulus." The initial trigger is often another feline, but could also be a sight, sound or other source of discomfort that leads to "a heightened level of anxiety or arousal."
In this case, the commenter said that the girlfriend's departure triggered a strong emotional response in the cat.
If a cat exhibits redirected aggression toward a person, VCA Animal Hospitals advises immediate action: "First and foremost, you must avoid the cat until it calms down," the post read. It added that the cat may need to be safely confined in a darkened room for minutes, hours or even days until it is calm enough to be reintroduced.
Methods like throwing a blanket over the cat to safely move it or using deterrents to guide it to a safe room can be effective.
To prevent recurrent issues, owners should identify the source of the cat's arousal and avoid as best as possible.
Newsweek reached out to @3cats_2moms for comment via TikTok.