A cat owner has vowed to "never go on vacation again" after seeing their feline meowing for them on a pet cam.
All pet owners will understand the stress that comes with going on vacation - because finding someone to look after your beloved companion can be pretty tricky.
There's the option of having someone come to your house to look after them, or to send them to a kennel or cattery while you're away.
But one thing that is impossible to do is to explain to your pet that you're not going away forever.
While cats are renowned for their independence, they can still manage to pull at the heartstrings of their owners.
Pawl the Cat, the adorable star of the TikTok account @catnamedpawl, was recently left to his own devices while his owners went on holiday.
Check out the TikTok below:It's important to note that Pawl wasn't completely alone, as he had frequent check-ins from caretakers.
However, a video capturing Pawl's poignant journey through the house, clutching a cherished fish toy and meowing yearningly for his absent owner, quickly went viral on TikTok, amassing a staggering 12.1 million views, and touching hearts around the world.
Owner Jonah, speaking exclusively to Newsweek, shared the heartwarming backstory of their bond with Pawl: "I found Pawl about four years ago. I had been living in an apartment on the ground floor for about a week when a kitten showed up and started scratching at my window. We've been best friends ever since."
Jonah continued: "When we go on vacation, we have babysitters to watch Pawl, but we also always set up cameras to make sure he's doing okay. Typically, it's a lot of him just lounging around or gazing out the window at birds. But this time, when we checked the cameras, it was Pawl, roaming around the apartment with his fish toy, emitting the saddest meows we've ever heard."
Expressing their dedication to their furry companion, Jonah added: "We're going to start practicing taking car rides with Pawl to see how he handles road trips. He already enjoys stroller rides and walks. Most mornings, I wake up to find the fish toy in front of my bedroom door because Pawl brings it to me every night. I like to think it's his way of showing he's thinking about me."
People flooded the comments of the TikTok video with their thoughts, as one person wrote: "I know, you best be planning on pawl getting a staycation soon with catnip and new toys."
A second person said: "That is so heartbreaking I would have turned around," while a third added: "I haven't [gone] on vacation in 7 years cause I don't know what to do with my cat."
Pets are great, but they sure do pull at our heartstrings every now and then.
