A backyard barbecue took an unexpected turn when a cat owner from the United Kingdom put their feline in charge of burger supervision, in a viral TikTok video that has captivated thousands of internet users.
The clip, shared on Thursday under the username @swanonthelane, shows the tabby cat, Oscar, sitting by the grill, flaring his nostrils as the smell of the sizzling burgers cooking fills up the air.
“Burger Supervision,” reads layover text in the clip. A caption says: “Oscar checking out the burgers.”
With 200 million smell receptors in their noses, cats and dogs alike have a much better sense of smell than we do, and can even detect scents that are imperceptible to us humans.
With their powerful noses, pets can pick up pheromones, illness including cancer, and the scent of other animals or people.
Some dog breeds, like bloodhounds, are known to have more smell receptors than cats, according to VCA Animal Hospitals, however felines may be able to distinguish between similar scents better than most dogs can.
Cats also use scent to mark their territory, as do dogs, and they can tell when other animals have been in the area.
One particular feature in cats’ noses is their constant wetness, which may seem unusual but is actually a sign of wellness in felines.
A dry nose once in a while could be nothing to worry about, however, if your pet has a dry nose and is showing other signs of illness or pain along with it, you should immediately get them checked by your veterinarian.
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The video quickly went viral on social media and it has so far received over 202,300 views and 36,800 likes on the platform.
One user, Katy, commented: “His little face hoping and praying if he behaves he might get a burger lol.”
TerminalWhiteBelt said: “I hope he got a burger since he did a good job supervising.”
Anilla Gorilla wrote: “I love it when they just sit there, breathing that smell in DEEP.”
Another user, Fluffy Marshmallow said: “Awh Oscar is doing the best of the supervision jobs.”
Newsweek reached out to @swanonthelane for comment via TikTok comments. We could not verify the details of the case.
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.
