When she gets an urgent text from her fiance to go straight upstairs, she has no idea what the scene is going to be – which is often the case when you have a cat.
Kat Newquist, 29, lives in Colorado with her partner Jackson, 32, and their three cats: Natilla, Gandalf and Dave.
Any pet owner will tell you that your home can be a mess when you have a pet, especially a weird one like Gandalf, the classic “shoulder cat” according to Newquist.
“Gandalf loves riding around on Jackson’s shoulders,” he said Newsweek. “It has become a very sweet part of our daily routine.
“He’s a very smart and mischievous cat, but his shoulder cat lifestyle allows him a lot of freedom—he’ll launch himself onto your shoulder without warning, for example, or he’ll make you comfortable with him in an unpleasant way. .”
One of those moments was caught on camera and has now gone viral, as Newquist shared the clip to her TikTok account @indooroutdoorkat on July 31, where she wrote: “POV: You got an important ‘get upstairs’ text from your fiancĂ©.”
The video shows Newquist moving quickly from the landing to the office bedroom-where the big cat Gandalf is relaxing, splayed across Jackson’s shoulders and back, while trying to work on the computer.
TikTok @indooroutdoorkat
Gandalf, looking as casual as any, greets Newquist with a few chirps, apparently not caring that Jackson is working at an incredibly awkward angle so as not to disturb the boss of the house resting on his shoulders.
Newquist wrote in the caption: “To be fair, it’s very important.”
The TikTok user was on the video, which has more than 3.4 million likes and 22 million views, writing: “He has a lot to say.”
Everything is urgent when it comes to Gandalf, “says another, while one insists” the text is NECESSARY.”
And as one of them: “Gandalf sent the text.”
Writer, voice actor and content creator Newquist works from home full-time, as does her fiancĂ©, and she texts him every day if we have a meeting—”and our texts are mostly about cats and different predicaments that we find ourselves in,” she says. Newsweek.
“Because I create comedy content centered around my cat, I know that when Jackson texts ‘come soon’, I have to get my phone ready and record it. I’m glad this happened!”
While a cat’s way of communicating is more subtle than a dog’s, there are ways to tell if your feline friend loves you. Chirps and trills, like those heard in Newquist’s video, can mean the cat wants to show you, or that you should follow, according to the Humane Society of the United States.
Describing Gandalf as “incredibly smart,” proud cat mom Newquist said her other quirks include an “affinity” with graham crackers, hanging out in dry bathtubs, and even teaching herself how to longboard.
The cat joined the family after the couple rescued a pregnant Natilla from the streets of Costa Rica, and brought her and the kittens to the United States. After the other kittens found a home, he took care of the mother cat and her two babies, Dave and Gandalf.
tikTok @indooroutdoorkat
Newquist’s videos of her cats have gone viral, and she “constantly reminds viewers of how unique Gandalf, Dave, and Natilla really are.”
“Seeing a cat perched on someone’s shoulder meowing cryptically is probably an unusual occurrence for most people, but in this house it’s really just another Tuesday.”
Watching the animals go viral over and over again is “great” for Newquist, who says: “Our cats are the lights of our lives and being able to share them with the world is a joy.
“It’s like having a few million friends who never tire of wanting to share photos of my cat!”
Do you have cute and adorable animal videos or pictures that you want to share? Send it to life@newsweek.com with details about your best friend and maybe appear in our Pet of the Week lineup.
