Move over Grumpy Cat. There’s a new feline vying for social media stardom.
TJ the cat (whose full name is Tony Johnson, apparently) lives at the Metro Animal Emergency Clinic. Last month, TJ met a snake that belongs to a technician at the Halifax-area animal hospital.
His reaction? Surprised, to say the least.
“He jumped up on the counter. He didn’t know [the snake] was there. Then he saw it and jumped down immediately,” said Lindsay MacKenzie, an assistant technician at the clinic.
“Then he was roaming around the area trying to peek up around the counter.”
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MacKenzie grabbed her phone and shot a short video — a video that just begs to be made into a gif or meme.
TJ stands up on his hind legs with a look of pure shock, as the camera zooms onto his furry face and wide eyes. It was, after all, his first-ever encounter with a snake.
“He wasn’t sure about it at first. Now, I think he’s calmed down,” MacKenzie said.
The staff had a good laugh and MacKenzie posted the video to her Facebook page.
“I just thought my Facebook friends would share it and have a good laugh. I did not think it would reach that many views,” she said.
That original post has now been viewed by nearly 2.4 million people, with comments from around the world. That number doesn’t count the various pages and sites that have since re-posted the video.
While TJ’s fame continues to grow, he hasn’t let it get to his head. He continues to do what he does best: meet new animals and seek out food.
“He fits in well around here because there’s always lots of animals here,” MacKenzie said.
“He loves food. He’ll try to steal food out of your hands. He’s very food motivated.”
As you would expect from any celebrity in this day and age, TJ the cat has an Instagram account, where he posts pictures of himself lounging around the animal hospital.