The handwritten note a cat owner received from a neighbor she had never talked to about her outgoing feline stopped her in her tracks.
Since 2021, a grey-and-white cat named Leo has been making his rounds across the community with owner Amber Liddon always watching with admiration, she told Newsweek via email. Liddon wrote in the caption of her March 12 TikTok video (@amb101x) that Leo is more social than she’ll ever be, but she never realized the extent of his presence until she received a note from a neighbor who was moving.
She shared photos of the note in her TikTok video, which was addressed to Leo, with a quick explanation that the neighbor was moving and would miss him. It was written on the back of a picture snapped by the neighbor of Leo grooming himself in a basket. The neighbor called him “the best cat ever.”
Despite never speaking to this neighbor, Liddon was brought to tears. The text on the clip reads: “Thanks number 22, you’ve ruined my day at 8a.m…emotional damage.”
But it was the good type of emotional damage. She realized how Leo’s presence had brightened the entire community.
“The note made me feel sad but also full of love for the fact that they love him so much as he has impacted their lives these past 3-4 years,” she said.
And while she’s never personally talked to the neighbor who wrote the note, she said she’s seen them bring Leo inside their home during the winter, filling her heart with joy knowing that someone would keep him warm when he didn’t want to go home in that moment.
Leo, the Community Cat
Leo became well known as the local community cat, beloved by humans, dogs and children alike. He would wander into the primary school where Liddon used to work, joining daily worship or trying to hop onto the bus when the children left for swim lessons. Leo also visited neighbors’ homes, sometimes checking for food or curling up for a cozy nap.
“He’s one of those cats that just naturally draws people in—incredibly friendly, curious, and completely unfazed by new faces or environments,” she said.
His friendliness often earned him extra treats and cat food, which prompted Liddon to remind neighbors not to overfeed him, but to her, that just shows how adored Leo has become.
A Cat’s Social Nature
Cats are often seen as aloof, but many domestic felines are facultatively social, meaning they can thrive alone or in groups depending on their environment and early experiences, an article from the IAABC Foundation Journal states. Cats form bonds not only with felines but also with humans and other species, particularly if they are well socialized early in life.
Cats communicate with humans through body language, vocalizations and gaze, actively seeking connection rather than just food. A cat’s personality and early handling play a big role: some are naturally reserved, while others, like Leo, are outgoing and curious, comfortable interacting with a wide range of people and situations.
Social cats can also have positive emotional effects on the humans around them. Leo’s visits to neighbors, children at school, and community members aren’t just charming—they’re a form of companionship that brightens lives, which helps explain why a moving neighbor felt compelled to write him a heartfelt note.
Adjusting to a New Environment
The note from neighbors landed especially hard as Liddon prepares to also move in the coming weeks. She hopes Leo will be just as loved in the new home as he’s been in her current town, which she suspects will happen as he’s “incredibly confident and sociable.”
“To me, Leo is genuinely the best cat I could have asked for,” she said. “He’s not just a pet, he’s a little character who brings joy to so many people every day.”
Viewer Reactions
Touched by the heartfelt note, TikTok users flooded the video with their admiration of Leo’s friendliness, and as of Tuesday, the clip had reached nearly 60,000 views, 6,566 likes and 78 comments.
“Your cat said, ‘It’s ok if you don’t socialise,’ they will do it for you,” wrote a viewer.
Another said: “Well done you for raising a furry baby that is so loved by all.”
A third person commented: “How lovely! I hope they find a new feline friend in their new street.”
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