Mom Dreamed Cat Would Meet Newborn—Touched by Reaction When It Happened

Pets are sometimes considered someone’s first child. They teach them responsibilities and go through life’s biggest moments together. And one parent felt a full-circle moment when her cat of seven years met her newborn.

TikTok user @ariellaspinas always dreamed of her cat, Toe, meeting her future children. She’s had Toe since she was 21 and Toe has been with her through many milestones over the last seven years—a husband and adding more pets to the family. The next milestone, and something she has always wanted, came recently when she and her husband brought home their newborn.

In Wednesday’s TikTok video, her husband sat on the couch holding the baby. Toe joined with curiosity, right next to them. His eyes looked up at his dad in disbelief, almost as if he were saying you two did it.

Toe then proceeded to gently sniff the baby’s head and rub up against it. It was love at first sight for Toe. He knew this baby would become his new bestie. The reaction was more than enough to touch the mother who had been dreaming about this moment for years.

“I was definitely crying behind the camera!” she told Newsweek. “I was 3 days [postpartum] recovering from an emergent C-section and this was a very tender moment in a very difficult time.”

Toe’s admiration has grown since they brought home the baby. She said he is “sneaking in head rubs” whenever he can and as they’re walking up and down the hall to rock her to sleep, he’s right there with them.

With more than 1.8 million views and 368,300 likes on TikTok, viewers couldn’t get enough of this precious moment.

Some fell in love with how the tuxedo cat “dressed up to meet the baby” and others pointed out he was “scent marking” the baby.

A viewer commented on what Toe was thinking: “It’s not just your baby, it’s our baby.”

Another added: “Toe immediately claimed that baby as family. Those two are going to be besties.”

Introducing Cats and Babies

As touching as Toe’s reaction has been to the baby, not every cat welcomes a newborn with open paws. It can take time for cats to adjust. An article from The Spruce Pets recommends that parents start preparing their cat for the upcoming change before the baby arrives. This includes letting them explore the nursery, exposing them to baby sounds and introducing them to new smells such as baby powder or bringing home their hospital blanket.

Once the baby arrives, you can quietly and calmly bring them together in the same room. Continuously praise your cats when they’re well-behaved. Try including your cats during the baby’s feeding times so they can make positive associations.

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.