The video, posted on TIkTok by @bradandjr, was viewed nearly three million times in just two days as it showed Brad calling down between the burners of the stove and meowing at it. Although JR had his doubts as to whether there was a cat stuck in the vent, a faint meow is heard at the end of the video. You can view it here.
Why Do Cats Hide?
According to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Pet Health Insurance, cats often get themselves into small spaces where they feel secure.
“This behavior can be traced back to their wildcat ancestors who would sleep safely hidden away to help avoid predators,” the organization said.
LeeAnna Buis, CFTBS, is a cat behavior expert with Feline Behavior Solutions, and she told Newsweek in an email that there are a number of different reasons that cats hide in hard-to-reach places.
While many think of cats as predators, they are often seen as prey when out in the wild.
“This means they’re good at making an escape, which sometimes includes getting into tight spots for safety,” she said. “They’re incredibly inquisitive and love to explore—especially if a sound or scent grabs their attention.”
Buis also said cats may be looking around a tight space and are unable to get back out.
“Even temperature can lead a cat to find a warmer or cooler spot in a vent or other unusual area,” she said.
JR walked into the kitchen and found Brad bent over as he talked to and meowed at the stovetop.
“I swear, I heard a cat in there,” Brad said before calling out to the cat once again.
“In the stove?” JR asked.
“Yeah, it’s in the pipe or something,” Brad replied as he crouched down to take a look underneath the stove.
JR showed the vent area between the slats on the top of the stove. And then a scratchy meow is heard before the video ended.
‘Name Him Chef’
Viewers took to the comments section to share their thoughts, many of whom asked whether they rescued the cat.
“Is…is this how cats just magically appear and we claim them?” a viewer asked.
“Good thing you didn’t turn the stove on first,” another viewer wrote.
“I had an outdoor cat break open the dryer vent and try to camp out in it,” one TikTok user recalled. “I had to pull apart the whole thing to get it out.”
In a second video, which you can see here, JR walked in holding the rescued cat, much to the delight of viewers.
“He’s so pretty, though,” JR said.
Fellow TikTok users were glad to see the cat out of the vent unharmed.
“Name him chef and keep him,” one viewer commented.
Another viewer recommended that the couple check to ensure the cat belongs to an owner, while one said the cat did not appear to be a stray.
In the comments section, the couple said their closest neighbors live about a mile away.
“There are feral cats everywhere, and people often dump pets out here,” they wrote.
Newsweek reached out to @bradandjr for further comment.
This cat is not the only one to have found itself in an unusual position—a now-viral video showed a cat that was stuck in a bag of chips.
Another video showed the sweet moment that a cat woke up her owner to get under the covers, while one clip showed a cat jumping into her owner’s decorated Christmas tree.
Update 11/28/22 4:36 p.m. ET: This article was updated with comment from LeeAnna Buis, CFTBS.
