Tears as Cat With Dementia Thinks Slippers Are the Kittens She Had in 2006

Apr 10, 2023

An emotional video of an elderly cat with dementia mistaking a slipper for a kitten has tugged at heartstrings on TikTok.

The clip was shared to the social-media platform on April 4 by @ClaraGBelle and has been viewed over 370,000 times and liked by more than 58,000 users. It shows the cat, whose age hasn't been specified, carrying a single slipper around in the exact same way that cats are known to carry their kittens around.

"Sweet dementia cat always returns her kittens to the same place she fed them in 2006," a caption across the video reads. The pet can be seen walking slowly around what appears to be the kitchen, before standing still at the place where she fed her kittens many years ago.

Dementia, as defined by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, is not a specific disease but a general term for the impaired ability to remember, think, or make decisions. This impaired ability then interferes with an individual doing everyday activities.

"Alzheimer's disease is the most common type of dementia. Though dementia mostly affects older adults, it is not a part of normal aging," the CDCP writes on its website. Animals like cats and dogs are also susceptible to getting any type of dementia, usually in older age.

#oldcat #adorablecat #catsoftictok2023 #catsofinstagram #cats #cat #oldcatsoftiktok #beautifulcatsoftiktok #blackcat #blackcats #blackcatsoftiktok🖤 #lovedcat #beautifulcat

More than 300 TikTok users have left comments under the emotional post, with many sharing their own experiences of their pets or family members suffering from dementia.

"It's so amazing how the brain works... " one user wrote. "I bet it's because she really enjoyed being a mama."

"I can't tell you how many times old ladies with dementia have asked me for their babies," another posted.

"Both heartbreaking and precious at the same time, so I am not sure what my tears are supporting," shared a third.

"Old people with dementia often remember their children as babies or toddlers. They wanna leave the nursing home to take care of them," commented another TikTok user.

Another had this suggestion for the cat's owner: "You should buy little stuffed kittens for her, like stuffed animals." The toys would presumably more closely resemble a real kitten and make the elderly cat feel more comforted and fulfilled.

Newsweek reached out to @ClaraGBelle via TikTok for comment.

Do you have funny and adorable videos or pictures of your pet you want to share? Send them to [email protected] with some details about your best friend, and they could appear in our Pet of the Week lineup.