Indoor Cat Quickly Realizes Outside Is No Place for Him: ‘Bad Idea’

A cat who so desperately wanted to get outside quickly learned the cold is not the place for him.

As natural explorers and hunters, indoor cats often beg to go outside. An article from Pango Vet found that the felines might feel the need to do so because of the fresh air and sunshine. They also may find the outdoors an escape into peace and quiet.

However, some cats don’t realize the grass isn’t always greener on the other side, especially in frigid winter temperatures and snowy backyards. One indoor cat made that discovery the hard way in a November 24 TikTok video posted to the account @canadian.queen.20.

In the clip, the tuxedo cat sprinted out the door, down the snow-filled steps and across the lawn. He didn’t seem to mind at first; however, that’s likely because he was stepping on places people already flattened by walking. His tiny paws weren’t sinking in just yet.

But, as soon as the feline veered off course, he knew he messed up. The cat made it a few extra steps before pausing and reevaluating his decision. After realizing that escaping was a bad idea, he turned around. He darted back to the house faster than he originally took off.

The caption read: “He wanted out so badly—until the snow said hello, and he retreated faster than a squirrel spotting a dog!” Newsweek reached out to @canadian.queen.20 via TikTok for additional information.

The cat’s owner predicted he would realize going outside in the snow wouldn’t work out in his favor. The owner commented on the video and said how the cat always attempts to escape to the outside.

“I know if I let him experience the cold he wouldn’t go far,” part of the comment read.

And right she was. He wanted absolutely nothing to do with the winter wonderland. She doesn’t have to worry about him trying to sneak outside again for at least the next few months.

The TikTok video reached over 1.4 million views as of Thursday, leaving people in stitches over the cat’s reaction.

“He was like, ‘Ouuu girl this not it,'” one viewer commented.

Another posted: “Paused to contemplate and everything.”

Other pet parents have gone through similar experiences. One wrote: “As soon as my cat realized there were no beds, blankets, or central heating outside they quickly returned.”

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.