Heartbroken cat begs parents not to take her foster babies away, and we're all crying with her

When Alissa Moulster, who goes by @alissaxxjo on TikTok, fostered Phoebe and Joey, two 6-week-old kittens, she had no idea that Martini, her cat, would have such a devastating reaction when they left. Get ready with tissues as you brace yourselves to watch the heartbroken cat realize that it was finally time to say goodbye to the babies, whom she treated just like her own.

Moulster and her boyfriend spent two weeks taking care of the kittens, and during that time, their cat, Martini, too, developed a strong bond with the furry babies. Phoebe and Joey would literally follow Martini everywhere and copy everything she did, almost as if she were their "role model," the woman shared with Newsweek. When the moment finally arrived, and Moulster's partner was just about to carry Phoebe and Joey out of their residence in a cat carrier, Martine kept jumping up on it, like pleading with him not to take the kittens away. "POV: Your cat got way too attached to the foster kittens... and now you're both crying!" Moulster said, reflecting upon the precious moment.

Meanwhile, the woman who has grown up fostering forever said they would definitely foster again, but may consider changing their approach to help their cats through the goodbye process. Defying the age-old, stereotypical notion about cats being 'naturally unaffectionate,' a report by VCA Animal Hospitals says that felines, too, mourn the loss of companion animals. The astonishing report says that the owners may experience changes in grieving cats, like loss of appetite, change in sleeping patterns, anxiety, depression, and lethargy. Besides, a 1996 study by ASPCA reveals that nearly 70% of cats exhibited changes in vocal patterns; while some meowed more, others went quieter than usual.

The TikTok video received an overwhelming response on social media, leaving netizens smiling through tears. For instance, a user, @the.adventures.of.suus, commented, "From a foster to a foster; the goodbyes are always hard, but you gave them a start to their future, and there are many more to save. And it’s okay to fosterfail sometimes, or 3 times like me." Likewise, @vane said, "The goal is always goodbye. Don’t stop fostering, it saves lives! You have an angel with your cat, she has love to give! She will eventually get used to the process of new ones coming and leaving. I fostered and I had a kitty like yours, he helped me so much to raise the babies. Keep going!"

Similarly, @cait revealed, "I just went through this last week. It ripped my heart out hearing our kitty cry out for his friends, but we got a new batch of kittens and it’s helped his spirit and given him a distraction." Echoing the sentiments, @alaskan_krissykat75 wrote, "She will be fantastic with whatever you bring in next! Just don’t let her be alone too long; she has so much love to give!" @hopscotch_25 commented, "Don't feel guilty, when you foster again, he will love them as well. Seems like he's meant to be a foster dad and was giving them some love before they continued their journey to a loving home of their own." @fireflight2272 revealed, "My partner keeps saying we should foster and I’m actually getting tired of telling him that it would literally mentally destroy me when they leave."

You can follow Alissa (@alissaxxjo) on TikTok for more cat-related content.