It’s actually very ambitious of us to sit down at the start of a new year and decide that the next twelve months will be transformative—new routines, new habits, new versions of ourselves. There’s something hopeful about it, and honestly, that mindset deserves some credit. A new year really does feel like a reset, even if nothing else has changed yet.
And then there are moments like this TikTok of a tuxedo cat, quietly speaking for everyone who’s already in a very different headspace.
In a TikTok by @novothetuxedo that feels far more relatable than it probably should, the camera zooms in on a whiteboard labeled “2026,” neatly filled with goals, plans, and ideas meant to guide the year ahead. Before any of that can settle in, the cat steps into frame. With his half-white, half-black paws, he calmly starts swiping up and down the board, dragging his paws across the writing again and again, as if physically rejecting the idea of committing to anything that far in advance.
It’s just funny because he isn’t knocking the board over or causing chaos. He’s just…erasing. Slowly. Methodically. Like someone who understands that maybe the future doesn’t need quite so much pressure.
The moment resonates because it reflects a quieter truth. Some people approach a new year energized by structure and long-term plans. Others are entering it with a different priority, one that has less to do with reinvention and more to do with making it through steadily. The cat doesn’t reject ambition. He removes the pressure, leaving space for something more manageable.
“New Year, No Goals”
Vera Aksionava/shutterstock.com
Viewers immediately recognized themselves in the moment. One commenter, @cbomb8, wrote, “Right let’s start again and be abit more reasonable,” while @Jadef273 summed it up more directly with, “New year, no goals.” Another viewer, @Bisse, added, “Girl this is a sign,” capturing the feeling that the cat was doing what many people had been quietly considering.
I can only speak for myself, but there’s something deeply comforting about watching a cat wordlessly acknowledge that reality. Not everything has to be a breakthrough year. Sometimes it’s just a year where you recover a little, adjust expectations, and take things one step at a time.
By the end of the clip, the board labeled 2026 looks less like a master plan and more like a suggestion that’s been politely declined. The cat finishes his work and steps back, satisfied.
Some people will stick to their goals this year. Some will rewrite them. And some will quietly let a tuxedo cat wipe the slate clean on their behalf. All of it counts.
Related: 20 Pretty Black and White Cat Breeds (Tuxedo Cats & Beyond)
This story was originally published by PetHelpful on Jan 12, 2026, where it first appeared in the Pet News section. Add PetHelpful as a Preferred Source by clicking here.