Secret Lives of New York Cats

A new, short documentary film detailing my experience as a New York City cat sitter, starring dozens of colorful cats ... when their owners weren't around!
In 2014 I took a part-time job as a cat sitter in Manhattan. Visiting the cats was pleasant enough, and as a videographer I saw an opportunity to tell their story. But the fascinating thing was how people live in the Big Apple, even though they were never around when I was there. Combining pics and videos from my iPhone with footage shot from a GoPro strapped on my forehead, this short film peers in to New Yorker's apartments and the cats who live in them - from 5th Avenue penthouses to Lower East Side tenements.
I also composed and recorded a soundtrack of original music, and act as narrator on the film. So it's also my story as a musician and filmmaker who, like many artists, takes a side job that becomes an amazing New York adventure!
www.dudevideo.com

[@xy11xy]

I stopped watching earlier because of Mochi. It upset me so much that he's treated like a piece of furniture instead of a living thing. Twenty three hours alone in a tiny room. The cruelty. Still I know they treat humans like that in prisons. Human, animal, it's cruel.

[@Yuki-di2rb]

The difference is huge, unlike prisoners the animal didn’t do anything wrong and has no idea what’s going on with no way to defend themselves. Much more cruel than separating violent/harmful people from society… Seriously though y’all do not need to remind me that some people are sent to prison for nothing as I’ve experienced that first hand with both of my parents. One not going to prison after abusing several women and the other put in a cell for a false accusation and losing me in court as a child because she didn’t have enough money to sway the court. In no way did I say that all prisoners deserve to be put behind bars, I just believe that animals have a lot less control of their actions than humans do. They’re animals, they didn’t do anything wrong and the worst thing is they don’t even know what’s going on. Also I’m sorry but I don’t have the same compassion towards humans as I do to animals and that’s not because I’m cruel, it’s because I’ve been let down many times by many people and have learned to rely on animals rather than people who will turn around and stab you in the back when you least expect it. My point still stands regardless of whether some people have been falsely accused. Thank you.

[@CherylBerryl]

That broke my heart too! And the cat at least, didn't commit any crimes that should make him become a prisoner like that! Geez, WHY do people even have animals if they're not willing to be around for them giving them the attention that they need, as well as letting them have full roaming of the home? It's so unfair to them, they should just re-home the cat w/ someone who will actually give them the Love & care that they're so deserving of!

[@candaceroberts3238]

I couldn’t face anymore, Mochi made me feel so sad too.

[@Slimez4Life]

I could not believe that they did that, who cares about the furniture! That is such a sweet cat.

[@Slimez4Life]

I’m still watching it tho because it is Still interesting but I am very sad for her

[@RobinKookie]

I have a cat that lived the first six years of their life confined to a room. I brought him to live with me in a house where I gave him full access, I've never seen a cat so amazed and happy as he was when he realized he could actually explore. I promised myself I would never let him be confined again after that.

[@abortion_worst_genocide_ever]

How sad, poor innocent darling🥺💔

[@nancymcconnell7973]

My eldest cat (18 years old) was kept in a crate for 1 1/2 years before I found and adopted her. She took a week to come out from under the bed. Chanel gets lots of attention and now has 4 other cats to boss around and 2 dogs to supervise. We love her and them immeasurably.

[@paulmanning8897]

Good Karma will come to you Adrienne!

[@heavenonthehorizon777]

Thank you Adrienne....from your 🐈 😻

[@dorothysay8327]

Good God. Why? Why confined?

[@suebraschio6763]

I actually broke out in tears over mokie being confined to solitary confinement.. how dare they leave him alone all the time they should have got him another cat friend... of course he changed he lives in a prison

[@SamA-cw3be]

I cried too.

[@CristinaRamos-ub2oq]

Poor baby 😞

[@juliekim738]

I'm so sad about Coco.

[@TraciPeteyforlife]

Cats are the best people

[@freeradt2970]

People who do these kinds of things to their pets SHOULDN'T OWN PETS &/OR SHOULDN'T BE ALLOWED TO OWN PETS! I'd find a way to find that pet a new home...I've done so 5x! My true rescues.

[@kgeeghee3252]

These cats are adorable. I felt bad for the old cat with owner having cancer.....God bless your heart for taking a very good care of these cats.

[@darkmift]

We need this to be a Netflix series 😃

[@peraltag23]

Great idea! ❤️

[@holyfox94]

Yes, but without the music. Was difficult to hear the spoken words.🙏🏻

[@prima808]

I wasn't particularly fond of the music myself, and wondered if that might've even been his own music!?

[@osakanone]

@@prima808 I liked the music a lot, personally. Some of the heavy use of cymbals sounded a little reality tv but other than that it was great. I think I listened to the outro like three times?

[@solgato5186]

KZbin series so I don't have to subscribe to Netflix too :D

[@joannahimes-murphy6897]

I got such a kick out of this. I'm a pianist, and became handicapped after cancer. I work part-time as a pet sitter in Cincinnati, Ohio (About 2.5 million metro area.) My favorite is cats, although I have regulars who are dogs. Since I'm handicapped a dog is more likely to knock me over. But I get such a kick out of your descriptions and relationships with these cats! I have three cats at home in an 1100 square foot third floor apartment with no elevator. And my experience here in this city is that most musicians are cat people. I take care of dogs and cats in apartments and suburbs both. Isn't it funny how people project their own neuroses and norms on their furbabies though? I really identified with your mini doc. Thank you for making it! I really enjoyed it

[@maureenallen6778]

¹⁰⁰

[@coolestsnowmanintheartic9981]

This video was amazing and deserves way more views

[@Yuki-di2rb]

This is really beautiful. Your effort to help these neglected cats is extremely appreciated ❤️

[@barbbarkley1039]

Nn bbbbbbbbbbbhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh

[@pbates4251]

Very sad but if you looked out on the streets there are cats with no home. That makes me even sadder because I cannot rescue all of them.

[@desratlinda8639]

@@Yuki-di2rb ( Maybe you'll have your own shelter some day )

[@mariapannell8636]

@@pbates4251 The cats on the streets are probably happier. Leaving a cat by itself in a tiny bedroom for 23 hr a day is inhumane. These owners should be ashamed.

[@SamanthaP48]

@@mariapannell8636 - I promise you they aren’t. Have you seen the condition or worked will any homeless cats? If they don’t look like beat to hell then they’re probably under three years old. Hence why when you see them they are all beat up. Most are eating out of trashes males are raping & females are being raped. Males become aggressive to a point they can’t enjoy their surroundings. Females endure a heat that is so bad a good rape seems enjoyable to get rid of the mass itching during heat. They suffer from my PTSD like disorders. Eat out of trashes and when they get the slightest opportunity to become part of a pack they do immediately. There were several on my road and they’ve all congregated over into my living space. I have an outdoor house as well as indoor outdoor access at all times. Out of the 5 (on this EXTREMELY small at) only one doenst sleep in the home. Only 2 are left as the other 3 were young enough & capable of being rehomed. One is so messed up even after yrs & yrs of rehabilitation he can’t sleep correctly. He has fear anytime someone or even a cat lives around him. He is CONSTANTLY being bullied by other neighborhood cats & spent 3 winters outside before I moved here. Conjunctivitis of the eyes and his teeth were rotting out from attempting to eat things he’s not meant to eat. When I came he had a badly infected mouth. As well as a dermatitis of the skin. These are all exasperated by living outside and having continually high cortisol levels. (In New England outside the city -> so 70% of time time it’s cold) He’s the sweetest thing to. Finding water is even MORE of a struggle then eating out of the trash which I’m sure you can guess -> Is mostly chicken & chicken (wing)bones. He was very impressed by the litter box. I guess living in a concrete jungle with no clothes to barrier stuff and become normal. Thankfully he has my pack now but he is already to messed up to genuinely rehome. Which is sad because he can’t be more than 6 yrs old TOPS TOPS. Most of the homeless cats in this area get picked off by either roaming foxes and coyotes, buy some sadistic f- that will hang them from tress & skin them. (Yes a total of 5 cats have been found badly beaten & killed in some cruel manner in this small area) As they are STARVING & will trust nearly anyone with food. Don’t get me wrong I think just locking them in home all day and not having access to the outside can be miserable as well but nothing by comparison to what these other cats go through. I’ve always worked from home & given them FULL reign indoor/outdoor. They can choose not to come home. Out of the 6 I currently have 2 NEVER leave the house. They will maybe go outside in the driveway for an hr or so. The other 2 like to stay outside (never outside my immediate neighbors property line) while the 2 homeless cats stay majority in the 2/3 yards as well. ALL can choose to never come back EVERYONE of them does daily. The winter they almost never leave for months at a time. I can guarantee they don’t prefer not have a better life homeless then being lonely for 8 hrs a day. I’ll leave you with this fact. 70 million sleep on the streets in the US every night. EVERYONE IS FREELY WILLING TO THROW A CAT AWAY. Homeless dogs are nearly nonexistent. Heck people will even try to CONVINCE THEMSELVES that they prefer it. 🙄

[@honeyLXIX]

commemorating the lives of cats. at least they paid for a cat sitter, you were such a positive for every single cat and im sure you've often wished you could do more. thank you for making this and paying tribute to these humble feline lives.

[@fgcfelice]

Love this! But why do people leave their cats alone ): I’m literally crying about mochi the grey cat. Don’t get a cat then if you don’t want them in the house !

[@falsehoodbasher7240]

No. Don’t tell people Not to have cats 🐈 Better than streets or The “ shelter “ !

[@DeniseLaFranceCDNpainter]

I completely agree with you Applebee. It's just terrible and those people who lock the cat in the room or treating the cat like a possession but they don't want to put the time and energy and affection into ensuring the cat has a nice life. Not fair!

[@DeniseLaFranceCDNpainter]

@@falsehoodbasher7240 true but, at the same time, they could make the cat's quality of life much better if they would just put in the effort and place priorities fairly where the cat... The living being matters more than the sofa and isn't something compartmentalized in some room all the time because that's not good for cats. Nobody would want to be locked in a room. That's oppression. Cats have feelings too and they matter. Inanimate objects don't have feelings so to hell with the sofa if it is so precious that they will oppress the cat in lieu of the danger of a possible scratch on the sofa. Why don't they just get a cat tree with a scratching post and it would be problem solved. They need a lot of space and they deserve a lot of space and they deserve affection and attention.Just because it's better than them living on the street doesn't mean it's ideal or even reasonable. So I'm going to remain agreeing with applebee that if someone doesn't want a cat then they shouldn't have a cat. Part of wanting a cat is wanting the entire cat and everything that goes with having a cat not just treating it like some sort of slipper they can shelve in a room and take out when it's convenient for them. That's not nice and you know this.

[@winko567]

cats are really independent though. they're very good at taking care of themselves actually. they just need food and for their literbox to be cleaned

[@Gebri3l]

Most cats I knew growing up left the house and came back on their own whenever they felt like it especially the male.

[@lucyinthesky4682]

Half way in and I couldn't even watch any more. So sad. Why have cats if you're not going to be there? They aren't meant to be left alone for very long stretches of time, cooped up in rooms, left in stifling environments. It just broke my heart. At least the Tribeca cats were happy. I too live in Tribeca am not a celebrity or musician and my 4 cats are adopted special needs. I actually live in my apartment but I have a pet sitter, I also have 2 dogs. The dogs get blocked to the kitchen and dining area but the cats go everywhere. I have shelves on the wall as a 'continual cat tree system' even low ones for my 21 yr old arthritic cat. I also have 2 blind brothers and the fixtures/toys are accomadated for them. I love my animals, I would give them the world. My sitter, bless him, when I was ill; took care of my animals and went out to drop food off to the colonies I feed everyday. I couldn't ask for a kinder soul to watch my furry angels. I'm glad you provided happiness and love into the bleak world for these cats. I'm sure you're the best sitter ever.

[@____________6145]

it is appalling to see how some people Treat their cats and it makes me angry and sad That their is nothing i can do about

[@B_27]

Agreed. Don't get a cat (or any pet) if you're not going to be there to look after it properly.

[@arupsan]

Not only you are making such a awesome documentary about it , cat lovers all around the world would be kind of jealous of you , since you met so many types of cat and hugged them.

[@stacybrown6526]

Im jealous of course.

[@PetTunesMusic]

This video deffo deserves way more views!

[@webgpu]

noooo! let them cats keep their lives secret!!! 😁

[@miszBEB0x]

Y

[@yolandar.872]

Wonderful Documentary.....yet my heart goes to all those cats in New York,whether they are living in luxurious living abd others not quite so much, but all alone half the time from not having human companionship often enough. What a lonely world for those little beautiful angels.😿

[@insocal6713]

I'm surprised any cat could afford to live in NYC. Most of my buds live in Jersey.

[@melscotto5330]

That family should have covered the furniture. It's cruel to keep a cat locked up in one room. Great music, and well produced doc. Congratulations!

[@horseman528]

There's more love in one cat than there is a hundred people.

[@tl7888]

And yet there was a cat sitter that loved the orange cat so much and would go out of her way and spend her own time and money on the old cat boo to make his life better, she didn't have to do that it wasnt part of her job, there are many good ppl out there but society is set up to bring out the worst in us but even so many times our best will shine through, if ppl stopped hating on humanity so much maybe the world would be kinder

[@icantthinkofaname8139]

Yeah until they sit on your keyboard and knock stuff over 🤪

[@horseman528]

@@icantthinkofaname8139 Lol.

[@webgpu]

you've been hanging out with bad people, it seems...

[@americangal49]

I disagree. We have 5 cats in our family and I have the clawed furniture to prove my love. Wouldn’t part with any of them. One is a diabetic.

[@periwillow4859]

The people who owned these cats and hardly spent time with them must not have had a whole lot of empathy. I couldn’t do that.

[@carolepetty2056]

Let's see. "Mochi" ...please...

[@joshapples88]

I know right! My cats get Over 75% of my time when I'm hoke. Even when I'm away from them . I catch myself thinking about them & hoping they're OK when I'm only gone for a few hours or at work.

[@adler923]

I have a lot of empathy for the woman in the cancer ward. And I even have a ton of empathy for the business woman alcoholic with the hoarder apartment - she must suffer tremendously. The fact that she has a cat means something. It's probably the only being on the planet who cares whether she lives or dies.

[@ChrisStavros]

New Yorkers are fundamentally sick in the head.

[@katesleuth1156]

@@adler923 Alchohlic b/c she has a fridge full of beer? Hmm.

[@skybee001]

I thought I'd found something light hearted and fun to watch. Wasn't expecting to pretty much bawl my way through the entire thing. Great video ✌💕

[@cerealkiillar]

Bravo, Steve! As a cat "parent.friend," I can attest to the accuracy of your loving experiences with these kitties. They are extremely intelligent, inquisitive, and inspiring. And as you said, people who don't think cats can be loving, friendly companions haven't really spent much time with them.

[@pitzirun]

Captivating testament! Sorry you had to let cat sitting go. You brought so much happiness into those magnificent felines’ lives. I would have loved to watch and listen to more of your cat sitting diary.

[@Lady_Aradia]

This was a random video YT suggested to me. I’m glad it did. Such an interesting, and well done video.

[@5cats2kids8]

Don’t get a pet if you’re going to leave them for long periods of time. 😡😔💔 Poor, sweet Mochi 💔

[@steampunkerella]

got teary eyed. poor babies

[@SamA-cw3be]

Mochi broke me

[@Sentiisen-butwhichone]

@@SamA-cw3be me too. Mochi was super friendly that he deserve a good loving home. The owners should’ve just gave him up for adoption.

[@khamir49]

@@Sentiisen-butwhichone I agree. I'm at work watching this (no visitors) and I nearly cried.

[@SarahGreen523]

What a great video! There's no way I could do that as a job. I love cats too much to be able to handle leaving them alone (or locked in a room!) and lonely, or starving. I would have brought extra food for that starving cat and fed him 'off the books'. People can be so cruel. I'd be like that sitter you talked about who came to visit on her off time free of charge.

[@desratlinda8639]

(Yeah, I would've given that cat that was so hungry some "extra" food too before I left)

[@sandykohn369]

I totally relate to your entire comments. You have to be able to "keep your emotions at bay to do that job...I, like you, would have had to make more visits to the cat closed off in a room...In reality I'd just cry and want to remove the kitty and find it a loving home!! People are so insensitive and cruel and are out of touch and as you said shouldn't have animals!

[@izzybeangreen]

Poor Coco! No a/c or a fan? There's no place for her to go, some people could just not have animals please animals get hot too

[@izzybeangreen]

The poor cat who never came out? That poor cat that was starving, WTF?? What's wrong with people? I would of fed him extra and have had a good talk to a lot of those people.. The toilet guy? Boos owner with cancer😭😭😭

[@mariar8261]

Great little documentary! Like others, I was saddened and angered by the confinement and forced isolation of cats like Mochi. Leaving a cat alone for 23+ hours at a time and forcing them to live in a tiny room with no interaction except an occasional cat sitter is abusive. Money can't buy everything: common sense and compassion, for instance.

[@SamA-cw3be]

How about the cat that is starving? Can we get one mention for him?

[@mariar8261]

@@SamA-cw3be It's been a while since I watched this, so skipped through it quickly to find (@17:48). Yeah, many sad stories here. Training a cat to use a toilet is also cruel as it goes against their natural instincts. (@19:05). Poor creatures. Awful humans.

[@catlink8998]

Really lovely film! I've pet sat off and on over the years. One owner left me 8 pages of instructions. This cat had no medical issues, no eating issues, no meds, no behavior issues. About one page had useful info about where things were, regular vet & emergency vet contacts, food amounts. The rest were instructions of what phrase to say after each activity with the cat, what time of day the cat preferred for each activity and so on. Essentially I was hired to impersonate the owner. Acting is not in my skill set so I just interacted with the cat playing the part of myself and taking cues from the kitty. She was perfectly happy with that.

[@awakenyewhosleeprealityisn4860]

You remind me of my husband, because he is a cat magnet too. We knew each other because he was friends with my older brother. When my brother left home for college, my husband and I got to know each other better. One prerequisite of his for any potential girlfriend was that his cat had to love her. The other women he’d been with didn’t pass this test, but I did with flying colors. That was over 41 years ago, and we’re still madly in love and we still love cats.

[@frankmarkovcijr5459]

That is so wonderful

[@imtrying2969]

man i will watch literally anything to keep from doing college work

[@allaboutroofing2]

Wow, my 2 cats have it way better than every single one of these poor cats. I can't imagine why someone would have a cat if they are absent all the time (with exception of the owner who's in the hospital). Mine have access to a large yard and 3500 SQ feet of living space inside. They enjoy each other's company and never mess outside the litter box or do any damage to furniture. Thanks for pointing out the harmony a healthy home provides and how cats thrive with proper care and love. I also know that I love my cats enough that if I couldn't be around them I would re home them to someone that could. Totally disgusted by some of these cats living situations.

[@Summer-tv7rz]

So true! Why take a cat if you're away from home the whole time, it is a form of mental torture for the cat to lock him up alone in the house. It is selfish to adopt a cat if you can't be there for them.

[@anthonyrios8566]

@@Summer-tv7rz It is Very True. Some People Lack Common Sense and or Dont Care. Some People make their Life So Complicated and So Busy, It Seems by their Own Choice. They Hardly have Time For Themselves. In a case like that Rehome Your Cat. Dont Leave him alone So Much. A Person does not Deserve a Pet , If that is Your Lifestyle of Choice. 💙♥️🖤🐈

[@desratlinda8639]

( They have it waaay better then most shelter cats )

[@williamfossett2636]

z c b k

[@ConstanceWhenever]

Its fucked to even live in a horrific bughive city like that as a human, let alone a cat.

[@pandoraspice1003]

I am a professional cat sitter in a major urban center. I have done it for over 5 years. I have visited thousands of cats and been inside of hundreds of homes. It is amazing what you see. Every place I visited without exception had three of the same things: Cats, cannabis and Star Wars stuff. A lot of musical instruments. People think the job is easy but every single owner has a different set of precise instructions they expect to be followed to the letter. And almost all of them watch you in their webcams.

[@ingGS]

We need MORE of this ❤️. My heart goes to the poor kitties left alone for 23.5 hrs a day, it’s so sad. I leave my cattos 8 hrs a day and feel terrible, I cannot imagine something like this.

[@domoknows3275]

I was wondering what it was like to have a cat in NYC (I live in Brooklyn) and came upon this. This is an incredibly interesting and well done documentary, thank you for sharing! Totally deserves a million views.

[@cocoatmidnight7611]

My family loves cats and have had them for many years. Mochi’s story made me cry, each cats has their own personality like humans and all of them are loving.

[@rachelw821]

I loved this so much. Some were hard to watch- particularly Mochi, his story really broke my heart. But overall just very cute and interesting! I love cats!! Thanks for this!

[@aprilferrier6893]

The episode that I felt some ways about was the cat that was on a diet. It didn't look over or under weight but just thinking tha the cat was always worried about food made me feel for it. Poor kitty. Hopefully it was just loving food a lot and not starving all day.

[@elizabetheaton3882]

I enjoyed this little film. Thanks for sharing this Mr. Holloway. Cats truly are angels with whiskers. 🐈‍⬛😸

[@paulettew2322]

That was great! Funny, sad, maddening…. You were so sweet and good to your kitties. ♥️🥰♥️. That’s why they loved you. Thank you for the glimpse into NY apts too! LOL

[@joanns7007]

Why have animals if you don’t want to be with you! Poor mochi! Thank you for showing him love 💕

[@DrumGame]

This is a cool film. It deserves more views than it has. I also really liked the music.

[@mc-nw1rk]

This is brilliant, Steve! Very well written, narrated and filmed. And so interesting. The area and the variety of homes, the cats, the owners, all offer an intriguing viewing. Well done!👏👏👏

[@millenialsmom2214]

About the business woman's crappy apartment...a person's personal space is often a reflection of what's going on in their mind.

[@baileybutterfly320]

Yep! So true

[@intorainbowzOG]

As someone with ADHD I relate. She was only gone 2 days so on a business trip. I bet that cat was loved and cared for.

[@Joseph-xe1ry]

Millenial's Mom The reflection that I got from your comment is that you're an idiot.

[@gumtreeterry9904]

I’m really surprised she gave permission to use the footage. I mean, she must have right? I cant imagine a professional videographer would betray someone’s trust like that for a few ‘views’ on KZbin, would they?

[@parler8698]

Absolutely

[@dr.eliciarosen-fox1354]

Thank you for being so kind to our beautiful little friends.💕

[@mtgshmoopy]

I had to stop about 6 minutes in when Moki got kept in a room. Broke my heart. Some people must think that since cats are relatively low key they don't need attention or variety or anything like that. Couldn't be further from the truth. Cats are wonderful and complex. I swear some cats are so smart they seem sapient. Even though I couldn't finish the video due to my bleeding heart I love the format of this video. It's very well edited/produced. I wish it had millions of views because that's what it deserves.

[@MT-kc6rq]

They are sapient [psychologist here]. Most have the cognitive abilities, emotions, and emotional needs of a 3-7yo human child. And most, perhaps all, have self-awareness (the test for person-nature).

[@missm2925]

@@MT-kc6rq jfc this should be considered animal abuse

[@ashly9595]

this needs a million or two more views

[@virginiashipp661]

Thank you for even considering the job of being a cat sitter! You are perfect for the job! You have the understanding of a cat’s needs and you know that cats are very affectionate. Cats are naturally attracted to people that they they sense have a loving heart and peaceful soul. Bless you for being so, “cat astute”, loving and caring in a job that is not easy when you have so many cat hearts and bodies to care for, not to mention the cat’s Moms and Dads to keep happy too!

[@lizbecker1677]

I loved this video, and while some of the cats had it better than others, at least the owners all cared enough about their pets to make sure their basic needs were being met when they weren't around. Life isn't always perfect, but we all try to do the best we can. I loved seeing the apartments and they way people lived.

[@calimero600]

It's better they live beloved in an appartment than suffering as a stray or being in a shelter. One friend adopted a very old cat from the shelter and a very tiny cage so her small appartment was an upgrade!

[@bellona6356]

@@calimero600 I don't know, being locked in a room for days on end with 30 minutes of stimuli a day doesn't seem better then a shelter or being outside. That's not meeting basic needs, it's torture.

[@WhyYoutubeWhy]

I wouldn't call moki looked up in a room a basic need as well at the cat with the automatic feeder being starved. A cat basic needs are to roam around, play and eat.

[@WhyYoutubeWhy]

@@bellona6356 Exactly! Just because the owners hired a sitter doesn,t mean they do good for their cats. Some of what's happening is downright cruel and just the fact that they hired a sitter shouldn't excuse their bad behaviors and attitudes.

[@NailHeavenAshford]

The one who was locked in a room and the one who wasn’t given enough food were not having their basic needs met at all. Neither was the one who was kept in the hot room. Cats also hate mess. They get stressed if things are dirty. They are fastidiously clean animals.

[@jaxhoffalot2812]

Steve, watching your video was a real treat, thank you for sharing such a touching and heartfelt tribute to your experience as a cat sitter. This video really deserves more exposure (and I hope it does - I came here via r/documentaries, where it was recently posted). My sincere gratitude to you for sharing it.

[@lorrainedubzak6654]

Thanks for showing how some people treat their cats. Some are spoiled and, well loved and, others are craving love and, affection. The kitty that ended up locked into one room was pretty sad. I adopted a 7 week old kitty and, tried to quarantine him in my bathroom and, the second night all bets were off. He climbed out of the tub and, was crying his little heart out. As gis new mom I had to bring him to bed with me. His carrier/ house and, all for several months shared a king size bed. I raised him as a spoiled prince. He will be one year old in August. This little one is going th have a special party. Love your stories 🤗❤️

[@qwertypwnown]

Just stumbled upon this video through the algorithm. I really enjoyed this short doc!

[@AS-id6mf]

This is a delightful movie. Well done Steve!

[@v.dargain1678]

Same .

[@meen0ru]

Excellent documentary! My heart goes out to all those kitties. And even though you couldn’t do it anymore, I’m glad that you gave your heart to them while you could. 💖 As a cat mom myself, it made me so sad for Mochi to be stuck in that room! My cat, Marmalade, has the run of a townhouse and access to every room but my bedroom (I have asthma and can’t have the cat sleeping in the room with me, which is terrible cos I wish she could!)

[@GAPeach58]

I know it's several years since you made this video but, it dropped into my recommended today. I loved this video; it's obvious your love & concern for the cats. What a job & I could tell it was a joy for you to do this. As a lifelong cat owner, I find it hard to comprehend owning a cat if you don't intend to spend time with the feline. I had a Siamese from my age of 10 who lived for 20 years; she passed a few months before my first born child came into this world. I still miss her and think of my Samantha girl often. God bless you. 😻

[@beatewester4777]

Thank you very much for sharing these sequences. As an owner of 4 cats it's really interesting to see how other people with cats are living. Wish you the best. I am sure now you're that cat connoisseur 😉😎😍😀

[@hollyhooper9054]

This made made me cry, but what a lovely film. They were so lucky to have you!

[@roflbotfpv9168]

This was a lot of fun to watch. Thanks, Steve.

[@lallandiaye6115]

This video is so underrated I hope more people see this :)

[@Ziyana_Zenn]

Amazing and well produced video. Thank you for making it!

[@guyfroml]

My wife and I have 6 cats at varying ages. We consider them indoor cats but just about everyday we'll take them outside for a while, but strictly under supervision. By now they've learned well they're not to run off and for the most part will obey our verbal commands. That's convenient for us since we live rural on several acres of maintained open land. While we realize they are animals and not people, they are still like our children, each having his or her unique personality and the disposition of a young teenager. And like a teenager, you'd swear they understand English when it's convenient for them and ignore you when it's not. I'm not sure how we ended up with as many as 6, but we've learned it's just as easy to take care of 6 as it is only 2. They don't take up or need as much space as you might think, but they will make use of all the space you have. I tell my story because I never had a cat until I met my wife. She was the cat lover. I grew up a dog person. But, I quickly learned to love cats and learned if you treat a cat like a dog, they will display doglike behavior. I always kid my wife if for any reason we would split up, I don't believe but one of the cats would want to stay with her - the rest would definitely want to come live with me. So, if you've always felt like "I'm not really a cat person" believe me from personal experience when I tell you if you give yourself a chance, you'll also see how easy it is to become a cat person.

[@phyllisbrown7575]

As a dedicated cat mom of 10 purr-pies, I can relate to your care and love of cats. I so enjoyed your Video. Thank you!

[@Partybernardy]

Didn’t think I would get through the whole thing but I did! Very interesting & well done. Hubby is allergic so I could never have one, but had them as a child. They were lucky to have you for a spell. 👍🏻😇

[@waltersobchak7275]

How you got this dream gig is beyond me. What a job

[@bradleyheck7204]

Probably a thorough and lengthy background check to prove that one isn't about to rob the nice people.

[@v.dargain1678]

That's the way nanny/babysitter jobs are , a lot of background screening .

[@waltersobchak7275]

@@v.dargain1678 yeah my babysitter was a little different. She liked to play games. She still owes me a bag of gum and three packs of KISS cards from when I was 5. 🤓🤓😩. Instead of putting her in jail I like to bring it up in a round about way every time I see her. Fun to watch her squirm😩😩😩😆

[@myragroenewegen5426]

This shows how good documentary skills make the ordinary extraordinary. I could have watched this if it was three times the length. Interesting look at a city, at people and their relationship to cats, at what cat-sitting is as a job and at the cats themselves. This is very good work and I just hit "subscribe" because of it.

[@biancamarieacenas3535]

I'm also a very cat lover and I appreciate and enjoy your documentary especially into the lives of these Fabolous cats. Keep posting more

[@nicolecocoxoxo]

I loved this documentary so much. You kept it interesting with your descriptive narrating and allllll the cats were so great. Precious angels, for sure. I hope they’re all happy, comfortable and living a healthy life. Thank you for giving your love and time to them!

[@IrishToes1]

This was a great video!!! Great job on catching all the different personalities 😅

[@dalehoward3704]

You had the best job!!! Thanks for proving how loving cats are!

[@v.dargain1678]

Uh-huh . Nice video showing how adaptable cats are . A good way to make money if you like cats .

[@gkava2349]

Absolutely adorable! Those cats were so interesting and each was beautiful in it's own way. Thanks for the video!

[@TheDollylala]

What a lovely film. It was a pleasure. Thank you!

[@1987HollyAnn]

Thank you for sharing your experiences with us, and for sharing love with the kitties. Lying in the middle of my three, I'm reminded how much we hate to be apart even for an hour or two.

[@wendyeames5758]

if I hired a cat sitter & my cats, but especially my home, ended up on KZbin I'd be mortified. especially if it was really messy. I'm surprised these people allowed it.

[@wendyeames5758]

@Anna333 thousands of views, how do you know someone who knows them won't see it?

[@SageSeliah]

If someone recognizes one of the apartments, that means they already saw all that mess and this is not new to them. All of those troublingly messy apartments are quite obviously never get tidied up. Those pile of crap and clothes does not get there in a month, but rather years. I'm rather surprised they allowed anyone inside at all, even for their cats. I would die of shame if anyone EVER saw a tenth of that mess.

[@whitesky38]

Great documentary, great music, a great insight into the lives of cats!

[@v.dargain1678]

Great glimpse into the lives of cats and the homes where they are kept . Nice .

[@mrs.amieestarcloud2565]

I absolutely adore this video. I would consider that job my dream job! I'd about kill to have such a job. I think you know how lucky you are/were!

[@suegreene1]

Loved the video as a human that was brought up surrounded by cats, this one delighted me!

[@LydiLouiKats]

You should have offered them a deal! To take the cat to your home, and bringing Mochi to visit them, when they had a smidge of time to see their cat! This whole series was quite fascinating! Nice that you wanted to, and got permission to show this all off! Very nicely done! Thank you! 🐈🐾♥️👍🐈

[@Zazen777]

This video was excellent. Great job! I totally enjoyed it, and even almost teared up a couple of times! Great work.

[@ddab918]

Wow Steve i just viewed your video on June 6, 2022 and am so grateful for your sharing the majesty of our felines, who permit us to care for them. Thank you, thank you. Those cats were fortunate you were in their lives.

[@peggyholloway5]

Fun and cool little documentary.

[@ktloz2246]

That was cool, ur job and the sites of NY and the subways brings back lots of memories. I lived there for 4 yrs in my younger days during the 70s. We lived in a few places all had cockroaches, nasty Dark BIG ones, under the tub even, hated taking a bath not knowing if one was under it or not. ugh. I remember taking the urine smelling subways on Saturday to got to Coney island beaches, the subway ride was like 90 mins long it seemed. Had to change trains ones or twice. The beaches were crowded and the sand was so hot u needed some slippers to walk on. Walking on the streets was hazardous since most cars didn't have cat converters yet and the buses had that smell to them at the time i thought was unusually weird. Chewing gum on all the streets sidewalks. The sardine type streets where u had to dodge people in order not to run into anyone. With all those people u still felt alone since everyone was in there own little worlds, going in a hurry somewhere.

[@jamilahadade7620]

I really enjoyed your video. I used to cat sit and came across the same things you came across while cat 🐱 sitting. I was doing it in Manhattan and I made so many new and wonderful cat friends. I do have cats at home and a wonderful dog. Thanks for your nice video🐈Greetings from New York 🐱

[@bsidegirl9069]

I was very impressed with this short film. I have also done pet-sitting and dogwalking for many years! The animals are always so amazing! I also was offended by those owners leaving that poor cat locked in a room all day! Must have been really hard to walk away, but i know for a fact you have brought much joy into his life! I also really loved the soundtrack! I am an aspiring musician also! Thank you for sharing this video! Shannon M.W

[@anthonyrios8566]

I Really liked this Video, A Reality Check for Cats in the Big City. Cats are Intelligent and Introverted, and Have Different Personalities, They Understand Attention, Care, and Kindness. When a Cat Shows Affection to its Owner or a Person That is a Special and Precious Moment to be Treasured and Remembered, Amen. 🖤💚♥️🐈

[@lyndasmith593]

Beautiful photography. Some of those homes are fabulous and a couple of those were unbelievable the poor kitties. I know life circumstances changes and especially during the pandemic but to leave the cats alone so much of the time is just heartbreaking. I know we all try to do the best we can bless you !!!!!

[@Risperdali]

I loved this video! Thank you for producing it! I learnt a lot about cats and NYC

[@SilverAukahzy]

This is the docu no one asked for but everyone who found it LOVES it I bet XD. I know I am greatful for this XDD!!!

[@michellec9368]

Thanks for sharing it was great, even tho some broke my heart being left alone.

[@margerycollins5200]

What a great posting. I have had cats for years and cat sat for friends also for years. You are a really kind man.

[@sharondownie6008]

Thank you so much. Wonderful docu-kitty. Very enjoyable 😁

[@conniehusband1365]

Your video really is an unforgettable experience! Thankyou for giving us this view into this cat world. You are obviously one VERY SPECIAL man!

[@guesswho4555]

Incredible video, thank you very much for sharing. The way these innocent angels were treated by their owners, must have ripped your heart out, as it did mine, after watching your brave and daring, heart breaking experiences. I worship cats, so I imagine what distress it must have caused you and the other sitters. I house and pet sit for my cousin here in Cape Town, South Africa, when he and his family go travelling the country, for a few days at a time, but having to feed and leave after a few hours, would be unbearable to me. My respect to you.

[@LizLeapin1970]

Glad you helped little Mochi. Feel so bad for him. Thank you. Too many animals never see their humans. The living conditions of these cats is unjust.

[@DeniseLaFranceCDNpainter]

This was so enjoyable and well presented. Thank you so much for making this for us to watch during the pandemic!^^

[@sydneycat9532]

This was an amazing watch. Cats are such beautiful and loving creatures and deserve all the love in the world. Thank you for this video! 💖💖🐈🐈

[@GigiBellia]

My daughter has been doing this in NYC on and off for years. there are some agencies that are totally money minded and have no care for the grueling work that it is. The amount of traveling, walking, scheduling is almost impossible at times. Also impossible, especially for animal lovers, is not to develop feelings for or relationships with the cats. Now that NYC is far from safe for a small framed woman to travel alone from subway to subway - the ideal outcome would be for a few high end clients to hire her directly that she could dedicate extra time and care for. But agencies are disgustingly vindictive about this and will give bad reviews to the cat sitter if they do so. All parties involved should take into consideration the best care for the cat and at least a hint of care for the safety of the sitter. It never made sense to me how some of these rich people would want different people instead of one trust worthy person coming into their luxurious dwellings and taking care of a member of their family. My daughter was fired from one agency just for giving a client access to a google drive video file of their cat that she would make during each visit. Kudos to you for showing some of the hard work and love that goes into this almost unheard of occupation.

[@khamir49]

I agree with you Gigi about having fewer clients and more time with the cats. I never knew that NYC catsitting was such a fiendish business. Some of these wealthy clients certainly could afford to pay for someone to spend more time with their furbabies. And I'm sorry to hear about your daughter. Last year I finally was able to take a trip Outside (in Alaska, we call anywhere outside of Alaska Outside) and I put one cat in a kennel so he could be pilled every day and the other with a former co-worker. Honestly I think we were all glad to have a bit of a break from each other for 9 days. I spend a lot of time with them every day.

[@andersdroid]

Wow great work!!! Talented guy as well as a compassionate human. Bravo!

[@alisonhinkley480]

Felt so sorry for the cat on a 'starvation diet' what were those owners thinking!

[@Priority76]

My theory is they had an eating disorder which they were projecting onto their cat.

[@Russel4973]

Wow, awesome vid. So interesting and creative. Great narration. A perfect example of why internet content will become the standard for entertainment. Could you imagine the production cost for network TV vs this?

[@chedydanza4704]

This shows that cats I fact really do love people.

[@missm2925]

Cats love people! They just have to get used to them. Cats also tend to have more boundaries than dogs so that’s why people get so put off by them when they aren’t immediately interested in getting to know them

[@melanieromero3226]

Excellent little doco. I enjoyed this so much.

[@chozar]

So great that wonderful cat sitters exist.

[@Erika-gm2tf]

Beautiful kitty loves ❤️ Thanks for sharing your caring of them. Having been a New Yorker for 10 years and yearning to be one again, I love seeing how people live there. I love seeing how kitties live there even more. I had a pair of ginger tabbing in Brooklyn for many years then we moved to Colorado. They appreciated the move.