Video of Mom and Dad Reuniting With Their Senior Cat After Vacation Will Make Anyone Cry

Yahoo

15-03-2025

Our pets really are our family, so it's no surprise that they truly miss us whenever we're out of town. You can get the nicest pet sitters in the world, but they're still no substitute for their true parents, and there's nothing in the world like the feeling you get when your pet welcomes you home after you've returned from a long trip!
At 18 years old, Luna the Tabby Cat can't jump up and rush to the door like she did when she was a young kitty, but that doesn't mean she loves her parents any less. Luna's parents captured the moment that they picked their senior kitty up from Grammie's house after coming back from vacation, and fair warning, her reaction is tear-jerkingly sweet.
Little Luna is a bit deaf and a heavy sleeper, so it took a few moments before Mama Julie could rouse the senior cat from her deep slumber. As soon as she cracked open her green eyes, though, Luna recognized her parents and immediately broke out in a chorus of chatters and chirps, rolling over so her mom could pet her belly. Dad gently put his hand down by her, and Luna started bonking and nuzzling it with her noggin as much as she could, totally blissed out in her parents' presence. She looked like she'd been having a great time at Grandma's house, but this kitty was definitely ready to come home!It might be because Luna bears a striking resemblance to my own grey tabby baby, but this video had me choking up within seconds. The peace and contentment this happy girl has when her Mom and Dad around is so, so touching! Luna is far up there in cat years, but as soon as her pet parents came back for her, she turned into a baby all over again. At least I know I'm not alone in getting emotional, because Luna's reunion with her parents had tons of TikTokers in their feelings.
"You know it's true love when you get the big gums rubbing on the hand," remarked @thebozoleum."
"Joke's on you, I was already planning on crying today," quipped @maggie.hasper—mood.
"I imagine she was dreaming and waking was even better than she imagined," said @twosenz. Cool, here I go crying again...
Every pet responds to their parent going out of town a little differently. Obviously, if your pet has serious separation anxiety, they may need more intensive behavioral training, supportive care, and potentially even anti-anxiety medicine to help alleviate their nerves while you're away. But what if your pet does OK while you're on vacation, but you want to make sure you're doing everything you can to keep them comfortable?
If you're just going away for a few days, you can usually get away with leaving pets at home along with a pet sitter coming in as needed to let them out, feed them, give them some play time, etc. (of course, you know your pet's needs better than I do). That time away from you can still be stressful, though, so try to make the space as comforting as possible. Leave out lots of toys and blankets, keep a few lights on (or turn them on remotely as needed if you can), and make sure their space is nice, clean, and comfortable.
If we're talking longer trips, however, you're going to want to make sure that your pet has a little more socialization so they don't get lonely and stressed in your absence. Even cats, as independent as they are, get stressed when left alone for too long. If you're going to be out of town for closer to a week or more, you might want to consider a house sitter or dropping your pets off with a friend or family member like Julie did for Luna. Barring those options, you might even want to look into dropping your pet at a boarding facility: just do your research and make sure the place is clean, reputable, and well run!