Woman opened Google Street View to revisit her childhood home — and stumbled upon a decade-old driveway photo that left her in tears

'He’s waiting for me in another life,' the cat owner said.

PUBLISHED OCT 27, 2025

Representative image of GPS Navigation Pin in Residential Suburb (L), Woman looking at her phone surprised (R). Cover Image Source: Getty Images | mikkelwilliam (L), Xavier Lorenzo (R)

Every pet holds a designated place in their owner’s heart. While a person may have more than one pet in their lifetime, it does not make them any less special than they already are. When a woman struck by nostalgia tried to look back on old pictures of her parents’ home on Google Maps, she was not prepared for an unexpected but familiar face. A decade-old driveway photo still lingered on the site, and she could not help but share it with the world with tears in her eyes. The nostalgic pictures are now treasured in a viral TikTok post with 1.3 million views and a fan fest of heartwarming stories in the comments.

Girl lying on a bed, using her phone. (Representative Image Source: Pexels | SHVETS production)

The viral post shared under @usiviews showcased two grainy pictures of a driveway with a black vehicle parked in it. While it seemed like an unimportant scene, a cat quietly waiting near the boot of the car is what moved the woman to tears. She revealed that it was her late cat that she had grown up with in her hometown. It was reportedly waiting for the woman, which seemed like a daily tradition for the duo at the time. “Somewhere on Google Earth, it’s 2015, and my childhood cat is alive and waiting for me to come from school,” an overlay note shared.

Woman holding White Ipad. (Representative Cover Image Source: Pexels | Pixabay)

The woman had simply hopped on a social media trend where people explored their old family homes on Google Street View and shared touching stories of their time there. Looking at those pictures made her emotional. However, she had not expected to see her late cat in the scene, which only ached her heart more. “He’s waiting for me in another life,” the cat owner expressed in the caption. The post received 353,000 hearts and several comments from touched viewers. “In my old Google Maps, my deceased grandpa was waiting for my bus outside,” wrote @hotdoggingloon and @ktpsash said, “He’s still waiting for you to come home, just in a different way.”

A cat sitting (Representative Image Source: Pexels | Christina & Peter)

“How wonderful you have these photos,” marked @glutenfreelesb1an. A fellow pet owner, @moni.e.ca, recounted, “This hit hard. My cat was indoors, so there was no way for Google Earth to capture him, but my voicemail greeting unintentionally still recorded his meow.” A mere nostalgic impulse gifted the woman with a beautiful memory from her childhood that she will never forget. Technology is not that bad after all. According to a study published in the journal Brain Behavior and Immunity, found that being raised with pets protects children from stress-related disorders and leaves a lasting mark on their physical and mental health.

A woman hugging her pet cat. (Representative Image Source: Getty Images | Westend61)

Pets find a way to quietly integrate into our daily routines and rituals, which makes their presence even more important, per a Keohane report. Simultaneously, losing a pet can also be devastating for young pet owners. The absence of a constant furry presence that lit up their lives can feel overwhelming, but then again, it may teach children about the reality of grief and loss.

You can follow @usiviews on TikTok for more videos.