Woman Leaves Cat Alone for Two Minutes, Can’t Believe Where He Gets Stuck

A cat owner has left social media in hysterics after revealing the unexpected place she discovered her cat when she walked through the door. Having recently moved to a new home, Elizabeth Lemos, 19, stepped outside to admire her new backyard alongside her boyfriend. She was only outside for a couple of minutes, but that was more than enough time for her cat, named Milo, to get himself into a tangle. Lemos, from Orlando, Florida, walked back into the lounge area to find the five-month-old feline stuck in the blinds and hanging awkwardly from the window. Fortunately, he was only caught in the blinds for a few moments, until Lemos sprung into action and rescued him, telling Newsweek that he “was not injured at all.” After checking Milo over and ensuring he was fine, Lemos couldn’t resist sharing the footage that was captured by her Ring security camera. She posted the video on TikTok (@elizabethlemoss) and it instantly went viral with over 18.7 million views and more than 1.4 million likes at the time of writing. Alongside the clip, she wrote in the caption: “Disclosure—Milo is okay.” Milo the cat after getting stuck in the blinds. He was only there for a matter of minutes before Lemos rushed to help untangle him. Milo the cat after getting stuck in the blinds. He was only there for a matter of minutes before Lemos rushed to help untangle him. @elizabethlemoss / TikTok Lemos told Newsweek: “I went outside on the patio with my boyfriend to record our backyard, and I walked back inside about two minutes later to find Milo hanging like that. “I’m not going to lie, I gasped at first, and then I laughed after. It’s kind of funny watching him dangle there all the while knowing he was okay. I think I was more scared than he was,” she continued. Nothing like this incident has ever happened before, and Lemos also made sure that it hasn’t happened again since. She and Milo both learned their lesson. It’s no secret that cats are inherently curious by nature, which is why the U.K. charity Cats Protection highlights that wires, cables and strings are possible household hazards. While they’re just simple objects to us, cats might see them as fun toys to chase, pull and dig their teeth into. Cats Protection recommends tying up any loose wires with cable tidies and clips to keep them out of reach. It’s also best to avoid any string dangling down in front of them as that can be very tempting too. While blinds present several hazards, Dawn LaFontaine, owner of Cat in the Box, which sells a variety of feline friendly products, told Newsweek that it’s usually the window that interests them the most. Animals love observing the outside from the comfort of their home, and LaFontaine says that blinds usually become “collateral damage” when cats are determined to get to the window. She said: “There are three main concerns when it comes to blinds: the risk of the string becoming a linear foreign body, the string becoming a tourniquet, and the risk of chewing or consumption of the plastic blind blades. “The best blinds for a home with cats is no blinds at all. This woman was fortunate to come home in time to rescue her precious kitty.” As a solution, LaFontaine, of Massachusetts, recommends installing internal window blinds, plantation shutters, or roller blinds, which are all much safer. Alternatively, cat owners could look into privacy film to remove the need for blinds altogether. How Did TikTok React? After posting the footage on TikTok, Lemos was amazed by the overwhelming reaction. Indeed, while many people found humor in Milo’s unexpected antics, plenty of owners thanked Lemos for showing the potential for harm that awaits cats when they’re left unattended. “Most people think it’s really funny, although some think I set it up on purpose (which is outrageous) or said I’m a bad mom because I didn’t hang those cords up. But other than that, everyone loves the video and is thankful for the awareness,” Lemos said. In just a matter of days, the viral video has generated more than 10,100 comments on TikTok. One comment reads: “Best part of all of this is, that you dropped you phone and saved your cat. That’s what all good people do.” Another TikTok user wrote: “He said, I have 8 left so I’ll just wait here.” Another person joked: “I loved how the cat was just hanging there he accepted his fate.” Do you have funny and adorable videos or pictures of your pet you want to share? Send them to life@newsweek.com with some details about your best friend and they could appear in our Pet of the Week lineup.