‘I had to go through the final boss’: New girlfriend faces biggest challenge when boyfriend leaves her alone with his judgmental cat

Everyone knows how anxiety-inducing those early days of dating can be. You bring out your best and funniest stories and try to find a balance between showing your interest and proving you have your own life.

But what about when you stay at your new partner’s apartment… and realize you have another hurdle to get through before you genuinely have everlasting love? TikTok user @notemiilyyyy shared that she met the relationship milestone of hanging out at her boyfriend’s home. Many can relate to this thrilling moment. But there was a catch: “his cat needs to approve.”

Commenters agree it’s a rite of passage to try to impress your BF or GF’s cat. There’s no question it can be a long road, but it’s a journey worth taking, right? One person summed up what the cat was thinking, “what are your intentions with my hooman?” Another TikTok user commented, “This cat is taking a lot of mental notes and is gonna have HOURS of conversations about you when you’re gone.” True. Several people called having a cat “a green flag,” which I agree with. Caring for an animal, from getting their food to making sure they have a comfy bed or place to relax to buying them fun toys, speaks to someone’s compassion and long-term partner material. And, let’s be honest, it’s also great to enter a new relationship and know you’ve found love but also get to spend time with a cat.

Sure, with all the unappealing dating app stories out there, many people would rather win over a wise feline than endure another evening at a bar ranging from uninspiring to frightening, depending on the person. And, since so many have pets, making sure that a new partner’s sweet animal likes you is part of the process of finding love. 66% of homes in the U.S. have a pet, or 86.9 million houses, as Forbes pointed out. 97% of those with pets agree their pet is like a family member.

Of course, those with cats and dogs don’t need a study to tell them that! Nothing beats coming home from a long day and getting an animated greeting from your golden retriever, or watching TV while your cat side-eyes you while trying to find the perfect spot of sunlight to nap in. It’s no wonder cats need to decide who their owners date.

If you’ve been in this TikTok user’s shoes, you might think that a cat takes one look at you and clearly loathes you thanks to the unimpressed look on their face. But, according to expert Marilyn Krieger, a cat could be “feeling cornered” or “there’s a slight pain.” It helps to hear that, right? Sometimes it seems like cats are never pleased and it’s impossible to change their minds, but then again, that’s also part of their wonderful charm.

So, how did she do? She replied to a comment asking “how was the interview?” and said, “I think I passed!” Once you win over your new partner’s cat who knows all their secrets and decides if every love interest measures up, you can totally bond with any cat, including that charming pet wandering down the aisle of a plane. Now we need a second video about whether her BF’s other cat, who she said is “shy,” is on board with this relationship…