Grandpa looking for a companion after moving into a new place alone made a tender request at the cat shelter — and it led him to his perfect match

When 78-year-old John, who divorced a few years ago, moved from Florida to New York, he had been looking for a pet companion. Known as Grandpa John, he has been leading a lonely life ever since he separated from his ex-wife and moved to the new city. Unable to go through life alone, he requested his daughter to take him to a local cat shelter, where he made one sweet request, that led to him finding a companion for life.

Jennifer, John's daughter, revealed to Newsweek that her dad hadn't owned a pet in a long time and felt this was the perfect opportunity, although he had one condition. "The plan was to take him to a local cat rescue, but he said specifically that those cats are already safe, and he wanted to save one that's at risk," she said. They took him to a local SPCA, and John asked for a cat "who had been there the longest." That's when John was introduced to Tina Marie, a four-year-old who was given up when her last owner "could no longer care for her" after health troubles and being hospitalized long-term.

In the video shared by Jennifer on TikTok (@jennann19810) on Sunday, November 16, 2025, John is seen visiting Tina Marie's cage and petting her. The cat seemed hesitant at first, but quickly eased up when he began petting her. Twenty minutes into the meeting with the cat, they took her home, and Jennifer captioned the video, "Grandpa John moved into a new apartment and decided he wanted a companion. Welcome home, 'Tina Marie,' aka 'Sweetie.'" "It's only been a few days, but Tina only has eyes for him. She sits on her cushion tower and watches him wherever he goes. She will let other people pet her, but always goes back to him," Jennifer explained.

She also added that they assumed the cat might take time to adjust to the new surroundings, but within 12 hours, she was "napping with him on the couch." "Many people asked if there's a plan for her in case anything happens to Dad, since he's elderly. The plan is that she would come live with us. It's so important that people (especially elderly owners) have a plan for their pets in case something unexpected happens," she revealed.

Soon after the video gained traction, many users expressed their love for the grandpa and the cat's bond. @bluntforce recounted, "I took a 'been here the longest' cat, he was nine when I got him home, and he lived another 10 years. He was the best cat I ever had. He passed two years ago, peacefully with us at home. My handsome Jackary Boy." @KristineAnn1973 praised the grandpa's good heart, saying, "First, I love people who adopt and don’t shop. And then those that ask for animals that have been there the longest? You are the best kind of people." @JTHuffy commented, "You wanna go home with me? I’m a grumpy old man!” That’s my pickup line!"

For more pet-related content, follow @jennann19810 on TikTok.