A cat owner recently discovered a surprising reason behind her feline’s persistent meowing—one that wasn’t just for show.
In a TikTok video shared by Alex, or @palwpfiction, her cat Azula was caught on camera meowing away, which she initially thought was cute. However, upon further inspection, it became clear that Azula was trying to alert her about a small bat hiding in a light chandelier.
With a playful nod to Halloween, Alex reassured her audience, saying, “All of us have been vaccinated for rabies.”
The video has since gone viral, racking up over 7 million views and more than 10,000 comments, leaving viewers both amused and entertained.
One user, @MarnasMakings, humorously noted, “Her stressing ’cause you’re not listening,” while Taylor said, “But the bat is super adorable.” Another viewer, Tay, joked, “Nobody listens to me! I am telling you we have an intruder, mother! -Azula, probably.”
Others shared their own experiences. Chrissie chimed in, “Any time my cat hyper-fixates on an area, I know it’s time to investigate.” Cassandra added, “Can I just say you handled this better than I did when my cat brought one into my living room?”
@palwpfiction/TikTok
This viral moment brings up an essential public health topic. A study from 2022 published by PLOS Glob Public Health examined the role of free-roaming cats in spreading zoonotic diseases, including rabies. The research indicated that these cats are significant predators of bats, with over 91% of bat submissions linked to them from 2014 to 2020 in Canada—a notable risk for rabies transmission.
Though rabies prevalence in bats exposed to cats is lower than with dogs, the higher interaction rate with free-roaming cats heightens the overall risk for humans.