Florida Family Almost Turns Back From Vacation After Seeing What Their Cat Did On Pet Cam
Vacation time always brings the same dilemma for cat owners: who’s going to watch your furry little one while you’re gone?
Some opt for pet hotels, others rely on sitters to check in daily. That’s exactly what Pawl’s family always did until one trip completely upended their routine.
It wasn’t until they glanced at a single clip from their pet camera that panic set in, and what they saw almost made them slam on the brakes and turn the car around.

Every time his humans traveled, Pawl stayed in the comfort of his own home. They hired a pet sitter to visit him regularly and set up cameras so they could peek in and make sure he was doing just fine.
It had been their routine for the four years Pawl lived with them. As his dad Jonah explained in an interview:
“When we go on vacation we have babysitters to watch Pawl, but also always set up cameras to make sure he’s doing okay. Typically it’s a lot of him just laying around, or looking out the window looking at birds.”

But this vacation didn’t go like the others. This time, what they saw on the camera absolutely broke their hearts.
Pawl wandered through the apartment carrying his little toy fish, letting out the most heartbreaking meows.
He looked lost. His eyes said it all: he missed his people. Badly. Jonah remembered watching the footage:
“This time when we checked the cameras it was Pawl roaming around the apartment with his fish making the saddest meows we’ve ever heard.”

The video crushed them. Seeing their sweet boy pacing the home, crying with his toy in his mouth, made them feel awful.
For a moment, they considered turning the car around and cutting the trip short.
Jonah shared the clip on TikTok, with a caption that summed up the heartbreak:
“Checked our cameras 10 minutes after we left for vacation and this is what I saw… instant heartbreak. Almost turned the car around to take Pawl with us.”
@catnamedpawl The fact he’s walking around with his fish makes it that much sadder. (We have babysitters come on check him so he’s not too lonely.) #pets #fyp #popular #cats ♬ original sound – Pawl The Cat
The video blew up instantly. Thousands of people watched Pawl’s sad little walk, clutching his fish and calling for his humans. Viewers felt the pain right along with him.
The moment became a turning point for Pawl’s family. They realized leaving him behind wasn’t something they could handle again, and honestly, Pawl made it clear he agreed.
From now on, they plan to bring him along. Jonah shared:
“We’re going to start practicing going in the car with Pawl to see how he handles road trips. He does already go for stroller rides and walks.”

Jonah also mentioned Pawl’s newest habit:
“Most mornings I actually wake up the fish in front of my bedroom door because Pawls brings it to me every night. I like to think it’s his way of showing he’s thinking about me.”Honestly? It’s probably also his way of saying: Don’t forget me again, hooman.
