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By Lydia Patrick
Life & Trends Reporter
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What a cat goes to his nextdoor neighbor's house for has gone viral, leaving the internet in stitches.
Leah Allen (@leahgracediaries), 27, a social specialist and content creator, shared footage of her feline neighbor, Giles, getting pampered by her housemate, Bil-Marjiyah.
In the clip, the cat sits contentedly in Bil-Marjiyah's lap, his paws hilariously perched on the table as she brushes him. The video has already racked up 150,800 likes and over 600,000 views on TikTok.
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"I've been living in the house for a few years now. The first time I met Giles, he was outside my bedroom window on the second floor. I had no idea cats could climb down from that height, so I panicked thinking he was stuck.
"I let him in and we ended up hanging out. I even had a Zoom call with him sitting next to me, and everyone assumed he was my cat when I had no clue where he'd come from," Allen told Newsweek.
She explained that Giles had simply wandered into their house looking for attention, and Bil-Marjiyah was brushing him in the viral clip. Allen admitted she has "no idea why he decided to sit like that."
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At first, Allen thought Giles, an orange cat, was female and jokingly nicknamed him her "queen." Despite being allergic to cats and never having owned a pet, she quickly grew fond of him, especially because of his perpetually grumpy expression.
Initially, he was timid and wary of touch, often scratching and biting. But over time, Giles warmed up and began visiting regularly.
Her old housemates weren't keen on him being inside, so he used to sneak in through her bedroom window, which Allen described as "very Twilight vibes." When Bil-Marjiyah later moved in—being a cat lover herself—their bond with Giles grew even stronger.
Now, Giles visits nearly every day and has become a fixture in their household. Though they never feed him, the cat spends most of his time there, soaking up water, cuddles, and constant attention. He even waits outside after nights out or accompanies housemates to the bus stop.
On one occasion, he followed Anna, another housemate, all the way to her job interview.
The mystery of his name was solved when his owner walked by, spotted Giles in their window, and laughed: "Giles, what are you doing in there?!" Far from being upset, the owner found it hilarious. Bil-Marjiyah has also spoken to him, learning that while Giles never cries to be let into his own home, he does so at theirs—something his owner finds amusing.
Allen said Giles has become something of a local celebrity. Neighbors recognize him, and within the house, he's adored. "We're honestly obsessed," she admitted, adding that he's even on all of their phone backgrounds.
"Having him around feels so lucky, and it perfectly fits our 'girlhood era'—just a group of mid-twenties girls with this grumpy cat as our honorary housemate."
TikTokers were equally charmed by the spoiled tabby.
"He knows what's good for him," said one user.
"I swear my cat has someone that does this. She comes home looking like she's spent the day in a spa," another joked.
"I'm off to the spa, mum," quipped a third.
"Of course he's a sun-kissed prince, biggest flirts," said Menya.
"A proper Tom cat. Always tryin to get the ladies," added another viewer.
"I bet his owner be like: 'why you smell like someone's perfume?'" wrote Isabella.
"He's found his forever pampering station," concluded another.
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.
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