This cat refuses to sleep without his stuffed toy and the reason is just heartbreaking

A heartfelt video, shared on @kittys_tik_and_tok TikTok page, shows an adorable cat snuggling a stuffed toy. Well, it may look cute at first, but grab some tissues, as the painful reason behind this sweetness will make you sob like there's no tomorrow.

The pet owner had adopted two cats, basically a bonded pair, together. However, unfortunately, one of them passed away battling an "incurable illness" in just six months. Now, the inseparable cat duo loved each other beyond words can ever justify, and even slept cuddling up to each other every day. However, after the orange cat's demise, the owner, perhaps, couldn't see his feline sibling in distress and hence came up with a heartwarming way to comfort him amidst the devastating loss. The loving 'pawrent' brought a stuffed toy that looked exactly like the orange cat, and surprisingly, the other feline felt unexpected comfort, hugging it for his peaceful afternoon naps.

"Soulmated so hard that... you still nap together every day," read the on-screen text. Though the black cat might never be able to forget his deceased sibling, the stuffed toy, at least, brought him some peace amidst the absence of his soulmate. While animals don't understand death like us, they certainly feel the absence that creates an unbearable void in their lives. An astonishing report by VCA Animal Hospitals, citing ASPCA, says that over 60% of pets experience four or more behavioral changes after losing another companion. But, since animals can't communicate like humans, how do we, as their caretakers, recognize their grieving process? Well, some of the common symptoms, as per the report, include loss of appetite, change in vocalization, social interaction, and bathroom habits. Notably, 60% of cats and dogs seek more attention from their humans after losing a companion pet.

When the cat's owner shared the bittersweet moment online, it received an outpouring of love on social media, particularly from other pet parents who have had a similar experience. For instance, reacting to the heartfelt post, @ineedaname_123 revealed, "This, but my dog and cat were best friends, and when my cat died, my dog saw a black cat and ran up to it thinking it was my cat and just seemed so sad when it ran away." Another user who goes by @andarta1980 on TikTok shared, "I had two cats that were soul mates. One passed (5 years ago), and the other one still goes to look for them. They had specific meows for each other."

Echoing the sentiments, @amb1230 commented, "I literally screamed 'NOOO STOP' out loud. Alone. In my apartment, at 11 pm. My heart hurts." Meanwhile, a person who goes by @__s.O2 on the platform wrote, "I’m slowly dying every time I lose one of my strays. I feel like they're dying because they are voiceless and can’t say what they really feel is killing me. Being empathetic is cursed!" Similarly, @kiwi confessed, "I almost scrolled because I can't handle these sad cat duo videos, but I saw the text that they still sleep together, so I stayed..." On the other hand, @lis commented, "This reminds me of my Lucky and Maggie. Littermates. Maggie passed at 15 and Lucky at 18 years old."

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