An adorable stray cat who “identifies as a turtle” has gained TikTok fame for shyly walking through a cat shelter while eagerly waiting to be adopted.
Theodore was first filmed at Cat Care Society in Lakewood, Colorado, in late September, in a clip that has since been viewed a whopping 1.8 million times.
The introverted cat quickly became known for hiding under a soft pillow and moving slowly around the shelter when he first arrived, similar to a tortoise waddling around.
At the end of the video, he poked his head out from under his ‘shell’, while a note at the top read: ‘Don’t sit or step on me! My name is Theodore + I identify as a turtle and I’m down here!’
An adorable stray cat named Theodore became internet famous after his shelter posted videos of him hiding a ‘pillow shell’ like a turtle
After some time, the gray and white cat quickly became more comfortable at the Cat Care Society animal shelter in Colorado and began to break away from his enclosure.
Following his viral clip, the staff posted more videos of the shy cat walking around the floor with his personal beanbag and even shared updates on how he became comfortable enough to come out of his enclosure.
His debut video received tremendous support from viewers who came to appreciate Theodore’s journey and stay tuned.
“Okay, but what a smart, resourceful and adaptable little boy,” said one commenter.
Another person called him a “purebred turtle,” while another called Theodore their “spirit animal.”
Others felt they could identify with the cat, as one wrote: “I wish I could start a new job this way.”
“Awww Pixar should put him in a movie! Many of us can relate,” wrote another.
As time passed, Theodore soon felt comfortable enough to escape from his hiding place, as one clip showed his collar lying on the ground, out of sight.
Soon the employees found him hiding behind a door, not in his ‘shell’.
“You are sooooo brave!!,” the caption read.
While he resorted to his soft pillow, Theodore would occasionally walk around without it and show more of his personality.
In one clip, the gray and white cat was seen rolling around on the floor as staff lay next to him, just before running back under his ‘shell’.
Despite taking over the internet and becoming a key member of the animal shelter, the Cat Care Society announced Monday that Theodore was officially up for adoption.
‘Important Theodore update!!! Today is a brave day indeed. Happy Monday from the Cat Care Society!!! Theodore is one step away from going home!” the shelter wrote, alongside a photo of him holding a sign that read “I’m going home soon!”
Fans were quick to react to the bittersweet news as one wrote: “Sad to see him go but happy he will have a loving home.”
Another commented: ‘Thank you sweet boy for making my week, here’s to a forever home and all the love!!!’
Resorting to his soft kisses, Theodore would occasionally start walking around without it and showing more of his personality
While some were thrilled to see him soon to be adopted, others wondered if his “shell” would come with him and insisted his new owners share updates.
“Are they taking his turtle shell too???” one person asked, while another video showed his iconic hiding place would accompany him once he left the shelter.
“I need his new owners to keep us informed,” wrote another.
“Tell Theodore’s new family to create an account! I need my daily Theo dose!’, someone else said.
While Theodore may be on his way, the nonprofit cat shelter will continue to post about other feline friends looking for a forever home.
‘Our unique approach views all cats as valuable, regardless of their age or abilities. Our shelter is free-roaming, meaning cages are only used when medically necessary; our cats enjoy plenty of space to roam, play and lounge,” said the shelter website.
On Monday, Cat Care Society announced that Theodore is officially on adoption hiatus
Theodore isn’t the only cat to have gone viral recently, as a ‘non-verbal’ orange cat named Spaghetti recently became famous for his unique way of getting his owners’ attention because he can’t meow.
The cat’s owner, Vince, known as @sanvicenteblvd on TikTok, went viral after he posted videos of Spaghetti tapping one of his owners on the back with his paw.
The adorable feline stood on its hind legs and used their other paw to balance on its owner’s armchair.
We’re turning it into a daily series,” Vince wrote in a video description box last week.
According to Vince, Spaghetti is largely non-verbal and has only meowed a “handful of times.”
Spaghetti’s attention-seeking method is called kneading – a common behavior in cats.