The story of Paul the cat has gone viral on social media.
While cats are known for their independence, they can still miss their human companions during their absence.
For this particular owner, witnessing their cat's distress while they were away was enough to stir deep emotions.
In a TikTok video that went viral, Pawl, a charming cat, captured the hearts of viewers, including his owner.
The video showed Pawl clutching a fish toy and meowing, prompting an outpouring of sympathy for the lonely feline.
The owner had holiday plans and left the lonely Pawl in the apartment.
From the video, the owner could hear Pawl meowing.
So, Pawl appeared truly pitiful, nearly prompting the owner to cancel their holiday plans.
On the TikTok account @acatnamedpawl, various adventures of Pawl are shared, capturing the attention of social media users.
The owner installed pet cams throughout the house to monitor Pawl's activities during their holiday vacation.
The video of Pawl, clutching his fish toy and meowing sorrowfully, garnered over 12.1 million views, leaving viewers deeply moved.
Even during Pawl's owners' vacation, arrangements were made for people to check on him daily.
Below the video, many express their heartwarming feelings towards Pawl's loneliness.
Viewers were deeply moved by Pawl's adorable antics and expressed their feelings in the comments section. Pawl's story has clearly touched many hearts.
One per son said: If you leave your home without leaving your pet a way to call you, you’re a bad pet owner.
A second wrote: Our cat died in the middle of the night. It was her distressed howling that woke us. I can't even think of it if we'd not been there for her and she'd suffered and died alone.
While a third commented: I would never leave my cat home alone - unthinkable. He either goes to the cattery ( where they adore him) or I get someone to stay at home - usually one of our adult children
Someone else said: Our cat did the same but even worse on CatCam in our kitchen when we went away. It was heartbreaking. Real other worldly painful howling.
Jonah, Pawl's owner, recounted the encounter between him and Pawl.
In the interview with Newsweek, Jonad recounted that he found Pawl four years ago when the kitten showed up at his ground-floor apartment and began scratching at his window. They have been inseparable since then.
When Jonah goes on vacation, he arranges for babysitters to watch Pawl and sets up cameras to ensure Pawl's well-being.
Usually, Pawl spends his time lounging around or bird-watching from the window. However, this time, the cameras captured Pawl wandering around the apartment with his fish toy, making the saddest meows Jonah had ever heard.
In the future, Jonah plans to acclimate Pawl to car rides to see how he handles road trips.
Pawl is already accustomed to stroller rides and walks.
Jonah wakes up most mornings to find the fish toy at his bedroom door, a nightly gift from Pawl that he interprets as a sign of Pawl's affection.
