A video of an older cat sitting with his head down as other felines received attention broke viewers’ hearts.

Three-year-old Wyatt had been living at Crumbs and Whiskers, a cat cafe in Los Angeles that partners with local rescues to save cats from euthanasia, for five months at the time of the December 30 TikTok video. He became one of the cafe’s “oldest and longest” residents, waiting day in and day out for someone to adopt him.

But what brought people to tears was not only because Wyatt did not get adopted for those months, but also because those visiting the cafe never even acknowledged him.

In the video posted to the TikTok account @crumbs_whiskers, Wyatt sat against a scratcher and scanned the room. The same situation played out again: cafe visitors paid him no attention and only played with the kittens. Heartbroken, his head sank.

Instead of throwing in the towel and walking away in defeat, Wyatt stayed out on the floor. He patiently waited for someone to notice him, but that time never came.

The cafe shared their confusion about why Wyatt was not getting the same love as the kittens in the caption. It read: “Wyatt may not be a kitten, but he has so much love to give and dreams of finding a family who will give him a chance.”

Newsweek reached out to @crumbs_whiskers via TikTok and email for additional comment and updates on Wyatt’s status.

Wyatt’s broken spirit is not uncommon for cats, especially older ones. Kittens are overwhelmingly more likely to be adopted than adults.

The Environmental Literacy Council, an independent, nonprofit organization of scientists, economists and educators, reported that kittens have an adoption rate of about 82 percent. The percentage drops to 60 for cats aged 1.5 years and older.

People often gravitate toward kittens because of their playfulness, cuteness and an adopter’s preference to shape the animal’s behavior. Plus, adopting a younger pet usually means you will have more time together.

However, kittens aren’t for everyone. Adult cats are excellent pets for those wanting a calmer and more laid-back temperament. Older felines are often already litter-trained.

Viewer Reactions

The TikTok video amassed more than 23,300 views on TikTok but reached more than a half-million on the cafe’s Instagram.

“It not fair, elderly cats deserve homes so much,” wrote one viewer.

Another added: “He’s so beautiful. I hope he finds his forever family.”

A third person commented: “Nooo I love adult and senior cats so much, I hope his forever family finds him asap.”