Scroll through TikTok these days, and you very easily might come across a cat stretched out blissfully on a warm slab of concrete.
It’s the latest enrichment trend for pet owners, and the results are pretty adorable. Cats of all breeds and personalities are rubbing and lounging on the slabs like they were made for them. Turns out, they kind of are.
A pet behaviorist told Upworthy that concrete may appeal to cats because it’s unfamiliar—something they can claim as their own. The porous surface also holds scent well, helping with territory marking. And, of course, it makes a great scratching surface.
But while the cats are thriving, their humans are discovering that sourcing concrete isn’t as simple as it sounds.
A quick trip to Home Depot gets complicated
TikTok user Ellis (@lifesbeengoodtomesofar2) documented her attempt to get a slab for her own cat—and it didn’t exactly go to plan.
“At Home Depot trying to get a slab of concrete for the cat,” the on-screen text reads at the start of her video. “It didn’t go well.”
She walks into the store and asks an employee, “Excuse me, where do you keep concrete?” He points her toward an aisle stocked with heavy bags of cement mix.
“Oh, this can’t be it,” she says, turning back around.
She asks another worker, this time with a bit more context: “Where do you keep like a concrete slab for a cat?”
“What?” the worker asks.
“A concrete slab,” she clarifies. “I need concrete, but not like the kind you make yourself.”
This time, the instructions are better. Ellis heads to the outdoor garden section, where she finally finds what she came for.
Cut to the next scene—Ellis in her car, empty-handed.
“I didn’t know concrete was really heavy,” she says. “I’m back in the car. I didn’t get any concrete. Hurt my finger.”
Commenters weren’t exactly kind
In the comments, some viewers took the opportunity to be harsh.
“I’ve had time to think about this, and I’m genuine in my meaning,” one person wrote. “It’s insane that people like her can vote. For one to call concrete pavers ‘slabs for cats,’ and to have the confidence to walk into the store and ask someone directly for it, means her only introduction to the product was through trends.”
Another added, “Not you saying the concrete slab for cats.”
Someone else joked, “Survival instincts of a concrete slab.”
But not everyone was so serious. One person pushed back: “This comment section is so weirdly hostile. LET THE JOY BACK INTO YOUR HEARTS. Did your kitty get his concrete?”
Ellis replied, “Agreed! Nope not yet. Too much heat around this topic. I may give up.”
@lifesbeengoodtomesofar2 #cat #concreteslab #catsoftiktok #fy #homedepot #tooheavy #catwithoutconcrete ♬ original sound – Ellis
The Mary Sue has reached out to @lifesbeengoodtomesofar2 via TikTok direct message. We’ve also contacted Home Depot via email.
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