Woman puzzled when her cat frantically pressed 'mom' and ‘stranger’ — then a terrifying memory from the night before explained his message

It’s not unusual for pets to pick up on things their humans miss. From sensing danger to reacting to moods, animals often notice more than we give them credit for. But one cat went a step further; he didn’t just sense something; he tried to talk about it. His owner was puzzled when he began frantically pressing the button for “stranger” with no clear reason why. It wasn’t until she recalled a disturbing moment from the night before that everything began to make sense. What followed was a quiet but powerful exchange that revealed just how much animals see and remember.

As reported by Newsweek, the story began on May 8, 2023, when three tuxedo cats were enjoying their time in the catio, a secure outdoor patio for felines. Two coyotes approached, posing a real threat. The cats spotted them, but the fourth cat, Justin, was inside the house. His owner assumed he had slept through the incident. But the next day, using talking pet buttons, Justin revealed that he had witnessed the terrifying event too.

Justin, a then 8-year-old orange tabby, had been trained since 2021 to use talking buttons, a method inspired by communication tools used by non-verbal individuals. Though he was initially more interested in chewing the board than using it, he soon made real progress. He later even learned words like “mom,” “Mike” (his owner’s boyfriend), “yes,” and “bye bye.” In a TikTok video posted by @justinbieberthecat_, after the event, Justin stepped on the “stranger” button repeatedly. His owner asked if he saw the stranger dog, and Justin pressed “mom” and then “stranger,” over and over, clearly distressed.

“He was very mean,” his owner told him gently, stroking his fur. “He tried to eat you guys.” Justin remained tense, eyes fixed on the window facing the yard. His body language showed how alert and anxious he still was. "You can see he's on high alert. And looking towards the windows that face the yard." But when his owner walked into the room, he quickly ran to her, meowing and seeking comfort. She tapped the buttons for “dog” and “bye bye” to reassure him, and Justin finally relaxed, flopping onto the floor. The video quickly went viral, gaining over 2.8 million views since being posted, and many people shared concerned messages as well. @schrute..bucks suggested, "Please make sure that your catio has concrete underneath. Otherwise, the coyotes can dig underneath and get in." 

@pjapjotputeh commented, "Aww, he just needed reassurance that he is safe. Good boy and lucky mommy too...He is brilliant." While @misticreyn shared their personal experience and wrote, "Be careful! My cat’s tail got bitten through the catio mesh by a loose dog, and she had to get five stitches just last week!" @syn_77774 mentioned, "The coyote is definitely stalking. Maybe it was outside somewhere during the day when he brought it up again. Stay safe, lil guys!"

For more interesting talking cat content, follow @justinbieberthecat_ on TikTok.