One ordinary day, Canadian journalist Alex Leduc found himself thrust into the spotlight of the internet. He didn’t achieve this fame through a groundbreaking news story but rather by revealing his affection for cats. Leduc’s brief moment of internet celebrity showcased his genuine love for felines while he was filming a segment at the local SPCA.
The story that gained him this attention was about the animal welfare organization’s urgent request for public donations due to a lack of funding threatening their operations. Leduc filmed various versions of the report, with a cat peacefully snoozing in the background on a perch. The cat’s nap was interrupted by Leduc’s repeated attempts to get the perfect take.
When the cat woke up, she stretched tall, settled back down, and tried to return to her slumber. However, Leduc’s persistent reporting kept rousing her. This isn’t a sign of illness in the cat. As Pet WebMD explains, “An occasional sneeze in a cat is normal and no real cause for alarm. Just as in humans, sneezing in cats is an explosive release of air through the nose and mouth – often the body’s response to irritants in the nasal passages. Sometimes, excitement, or movement can bring on sneezing in cats.”
Leduc’s consistent talking seemed to be the cause of her frequent awakenings. The cat, perhaps annoyed by the disturbance, decided to give herself a little bath, which prompted Leduc to turn around and continue his reporting. Despite her best efforts to stay out of the way, the 58-second clip of this interaction went viral, amassing over 4 million views on YouTube.
These poor kitties were rescued from an animal cruelty case where they were starved, locked in cages with inches of feces, and received no water or food. Now, these cats need your help!
The video captured the hearts of viewers, with comments flooding in expressing admiration for Leduc. One viewer commented, “Love this guy, his turn to the kitty and telling him ‘bless you.’ You know he’s an animal lover. Hope he went home with a kitty pal.” While it remains uncertain whether Leduc adopted a cat that day, his warm interaction with the feline suggested he might already be a cat owner. Another commenter noted, “You can literally see how much he struggles not to pet the cat, lol, that’s adorable.”
This lighthearted moment of Leduc showing his softer side as a cat enthusiast, rather than a serious news reporter, resonated widely, endearing him to millions of viewers across the globe.