By Melissa Fleur AfsharShareNewsweek is a Trust Project memberA blind senior cat abandoned near garbage bins and left to wait for a second chance has found her forever home, the feline's former rescue shelter told Newsweek—all thanks to a viral TikTok video that moved thousands of viewers online.
Betty, a 9-year-old black cat living at The Stubbington Ark RSPCA shelter in Fareham, England, became the focus of widespread attention after the shelter posted a short video of her to its TikTok account on October 1. The clip showed Betty sitting alone in a chair, with her back facing the camera.
An overlaid text on the video read: "POV: [Point of view] You’re blind and patiently waiting for someone to come and see you."
The post struck a chord with viewers on the platform. It has since been viewed more than 8,600 times and liked by over 2,600 users.
"You’re blind and patiently waiting for someone to come and visit you, and you’re so happy when they do! Despite being blind, Betty Boop is the friendliest, most loving girl you could meet," the caption read. "We know she will fill her forever family's home with so much love. Could that be you? Check out her profile on our website."
The feline had come into the shelter's care after being found abandoned in a carrier next to some dustbins, the RSPCA said. Despite Betty's blindness, shelter staff described her as friendly and affectionate.
"A friendly and loving girl," the shelter wrote in a separate post, "she’s after a specific home that can cater to her needs."
Staff said Betty would need "a predictable environment where everything is kept in place, with safe routes around the house." She would also benefit from "supervised access to a secure, enclosed private garden."
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Following the original video, the shelter continued to share updates on Betty’s story—often featuring her alone in the shelter, accompanied by melancholic music—prompting more support and comments from viewers online.
On November 14, the shelter announced that Betty had been reserved for adoption.
"Through the power of social media, we found her new forever family, and they are going to treat our Betty like an absolute queen!" the shelter told viewers in a follow-up post.
Becci Denizhan, who works at Stubbington Ark shelter, later confirmed to Newsweek that Betty has now been formally adopted.
...Do you have funny and adorable videos or pictures of your pet you want to share? Send them to [email protected] with some details about your best friend, and they could appear in our Pet of the Week lineup.
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