A fisherman who usually shares fishing videos online ended up going viral for a very different kind of catch after rescuing a tuxedo cat that was stranded and nearly drowning in a river.
The fisherman, who posts under the username @Caylor.atx, shared the rescue on Aug. 31 after hearing desperate meows coming from a tree along the riverbank.
At first, he didn’t realize there was actually a cat in trouble. Someone had tried to warn him about something stuck near the tree, but he assumed they were talking about a catfish caught on fishing line.
That changed the moment he heard the animal crying out.
As he paddled closer in his kayak, he spotted the black-and-white cat struggling near the water. By the time he reached her, the frightened animal was barely keeping herself afloat.
Thankfully, she managed to make the jump into his kayak just in time.
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The dramatic rescue quickly captured viewers’ attention, with many people pointing out that the cat seemed unusually comfortable around humans.
Some even suspected that she may have once belonged to someone.
“That kitten has 1000% interacted with humans before probably dumped,” one commenter wrote.
While there is no confirmation that the cat was abandoned, her behavior suggested she was at least familiar with people before being found in the river.
What started as a routine day on the water turned into an unforgettable rescue, and the fisherman may have walked away with much more than a viral video.
He may have found a new best friend.