For many parents, a new school year means seeing their kids off to the school bus every morning.
But in one family, that duty belongs to their cat, who insists on seeing his favorite human to and from her bus stop every day.
Jessica Leatherman is the owner of a cat named Craig, who she rescued from a shelter in 2019. Ever since, he’s been a beloved part of the family.
He’s especially fond of Jessica’s 7-year-old daughter — and now takes it upon himself to make sure she gets to school safely every morning, as one viral TikTok video shows:
@craig_the_cat We love this cat. He’s the best. ##cat ##catsoftiktok ##rescuecat ##sheltercat ##fyp
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As the first grader waits for her bus, Craig loyally waits by her side, not going back to the house until the bus has driven away.
Jessica says that Craig’s “bus duty” is something the cat started doing unexpectedly. “Completely on his own he decided to take on the job himself,” the video says.
“The bus stops right in front of our house, and I figured I’d let him come outside [so he could] hang out with me,” Jessica told The Dodo. “But instead of me, he chose to hang out with her, and he followed her down the sidewalk and down the driveway and just sat there the entire time she was waiting for the bus.”
@craig_the_cat Bus duty. All in a day’s work. ##craigthecat ##busduty ##fyp ##rescuecat ##catsoftiktok ##cat ##goodboy
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The original TikTok video, which has been viewed over 6.3 million times, says that Craig is “a rescue cat no one wanted.” He had spent 8.5 at the shelter, “in a cage,” until the family gave him a loving home.
It seems that Craig is eager to repay them by taking good care of his favorite 7-year-old. Jessica says Craig and her daughter are like “two peas in a pod.”
The video also says that he’s become a “local legend.” “Now all the neighborhood kids know him, and the whole bus is like, ‘Craig!’ whenever they pull up,” Jessica told The Dodo. “So he’s just kind of become this sweet little neighborhood mascot in a way.”
@craig_the_cat Besties for life! I noticed today that Craig sits when he sees the bus. Also, look at his tail wag! 😂🤣 ##craigthecat ##busduty ##ThatCloseMessenger
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Jessica says her loving cat keeps her daughter company every day.
And not only that, he’s there waiting when she gets home from school — and she shows him plenty of love and pets:
@craig_the_cat His girl is home. He looks forward to this so much. Notice his demeanor change when he sees her 😻😭 ##craigthecat ##youreenough ##fyp ##rescuecat
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What a sweet cat. We’re so glad that this “cat who no one wanted” found such a loving home, and that this girl has such a loyal friend to look out for her every day.
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