There are absolutely unicorn cats out there. The ones who travel constantly and either genuinely do not care or have decided airports are just part of their personality now. They sit calmly in their seats like seasoned commuters and treat boarding announcements as background noise. Incredible. Rare. Not the majority.
In a viral TikTok from @katie.k97, her British shorthair’s first flight starts the way you would expect: meowing. New sounds, unfamiliar motion, bright lights, confined space. It is a lot when your normal daily routine consists of naps, snacks, and staring at walls with purpose.
The meows are persistent, confused, and overstimulated. And then the moment that changes everything happens. An iPad gets handed over. That is it. That is the shift. We have officially entered the era of iPad cats.
The screen is positioned in front of the carrier, and the energy changes almost immediately. The meowing slows. The movement settles. She focuses. It is not dramatic or over-the-top. It is just a very modern distraction working exactly the way distractions tend to work. Within minutes, she appears noticeably calmer, eventually dozing off like she did not just protest air travel five minutes earlier.
“First Time Seeing an iPad Cat 🤣 I Will Keep It in Mind for Our Next Travels”
Yanya / Shutterstock.com
(Yanya / Shutterstock.com)
The comment section had a field day. @jackelyn wrote, “These new parents raising iPad kids,” which feels like the internet’s collective thought. @bola added, “she knows how to skip the ads😭,” somehow making the situation even funnier. And @Jasminas Sweets said, “First time seeing an iPad cat 🤣 I will keep it in mind for our next travels,” because you know at least a few people immediately took notes.
Some cats freeze when stressed. Some vocalize. Some try to burrow into their pet carrier like they can escape the concept of travel entirely. And some, apparently, will happily binge-watch at 30,000 feet.
We already have tech-savvy toddlers. Now we have iPad cats. At this point, I’m just waiting for her to request Wi-Fi and ask if the in-flight service includes catnip.
Related: Pomsky’s Unexpected In-Flight Companion Makes the Trip Unforgettable
This story was originally published by PetHelpful on Feb 12, 2026, where it first appeared in the Pet News section. Add PetHelpful as a Preferred Source by clicking here.