Shelter cat discovers reflection, now can’t stop “obsessing over himself”

A permanent resident at a cat sanctuary in Arizona has gone viral for his nightly habit: staring lovingly at himself in the mirror.

Suncatcher Sanctuary, a Phoenix-based cat rescue specializing in providing lifelong care for special needs and senior cats, took in a kitten named Moose about three years ago. Moose battled severe eye infections, a chronic upper respiratory infection and developed a head tilt that he still has today, Sheena from the sanctuary told Newsweek.

“Because of his medical needs, the Humane Society was looking for a rescue to step in, and we were grateful to be able to give him a safe place to land here at Suncatcher Sanctuary,” Sheena said.

Since being brought to the Suncatcher Sanctuary and becoming a permanent resident, Moose’s eyes have healed, and his URI symptoms have subsided, allowing his personality to bloom. Sheena said he has become the sanctuary’s “most outgoing resident” and is now their “spokesmodel,” which she said might have gone to his head. He knows how handsome he is, especially now that he has discovered his reflection in the mirror.

A September 22 TikTok video shared by @suncatchersanctuary showed Moose admiring his beauty in the mirror. He only discovered his reflection a few weeks ago, and since then, he has been unable to stop “obsessing over himself.” The clip shows several pictures of Moose staring at his reflection, moving his head in admiration and cracking a smile.

“When I first saw him obsessing over himself in the mirror, it was hilarious and endearing all at once,” Sheena said. “I couldn’t believe it and immediately grabbed my phone to capture the moment.”

But given Moose’s confident and playful personality, Sheena said she expected this reaction. It was “very him.”

This precious interaction with Moose and the mirror has since become part of his nightly routine. Sheena said he’ll spend several minutes admiring himself and rubbing his face against the mirror. He’ll even give himself kisses until he’s satisfied and ready to leave.

Moose’s admiration of his reflection comes as a surprise, since cats have been considered unable to recognize themselves in mirrors, although rigorous tests have not been conducted, according to PetMD. Yet, owners may still notice a reaction from their felines.

The article stated that cats will likely respond to their reflection with aggression or curiosity. They might show signs of aggression because they are scared and want to defend themselves. The curious cats will keep their eyes wide open and ears pricked forward.

Viewer Reactions

Moose was not the only one obsessing over his adorableness. The TikTok video reached over 259,700 views, 65,900 likes and 229 comments as of Thursday.

“He’s so handsome, he should be obsessed with himself!!” wrote a viewer.

A second person commented: “Mesmerized by his own cuteness and who could blame him?”

Some shared that theirs will do the same in front of mirrors, but others said their feline will try attacking the reflection, thinking it is another cat.

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