Intense heat can drain anyone’s energy and leave one feeling lethargic. By “anyone” we mean not only humans but also animals, all of which must find their own ways to cope when the weather is too hot.
For instance, in the summer, my dog lies prone on the cool wood flooring as his way of coping with the heat. Like the cat owner in this TikTok video, I too was scared out of my mind when I noticed my pet was lying terrifyingly still, his breathing imperceptible to my eyes. In such moments, I have had to wake him to guarantee nothing was wrong.
It is common for parents to check their newborn’s breathing to set their minds at ease, and pet parents can be no different when they fear something may be amiss with their companion.
A legitimate scare from a false alarm
This TikTok user, Candace, was watching an episode of Gossip Girl – as some perceptive commenters noticed – on her bed with her cat Rocket next to her. She was drawn away from her TV series when she noted her feline friend was lying concerningly still.
Candace poked him a couple of times on the chin, and nothing happened. She even opened his jaw and Rocket reacted as a corpse would. His tongue drooped out of his mouth and he appeared fully deceased.
“The tongue was a paid actor.” Wrote one netizen. Others, even compared Rocket’s weird behavior with a scene from the animated film The Emperor’s New Groove: “It’s not dramatic as The Emperor’s New Groove scene but reminds me of when Kuzco’s tongue shot out when Pacha tried giving him CPR😭”
When Rocket still offered no reaction, Candace had to ask: “Are you okay?” No response.
In what is likely incredulity mixed with amusement and a little fear, Candace half chuckles before patting Rocket on the head, more intent on attaining confirmation that her cat had not passed on to the other side.
At last, he is awoken from his deep sleep, staring at his owner with the expression of someone who’s feeling too sluggish to deal with anything at all. This is when Candance finally allows herself to laugh at her cat’s weird antics, relieved that Rocket was merely comfortable enough to slumber so heavily beside her.