Parade Pets and Yahoo may earn commission from links in this article.
Nelly, a Hermann’s tortoise who was rescued from a hoarding situation and later adopted into a loving home, is known for his incredibly social personality. He’s friendly, curious and drawn to other animals. But not all animals are created equal in Nelly’s eyes—he has a serious soft spot for orange cats.
His human, Amy Husk, fosters kittens through a rescue called If Cats Ruled The World Feline Rescue, which means there’s a steady stream of cats coming through the house. While Nelly is generally uninterested in most of them, something shifts the moment an orange cat enters the picture.
🐶SIGN UP to get “pawsitivity” delivered right to your inbox with inspiring & entertaining stories about our furry & feathered friends🐾🐾
How It All Began
It started when Husk fostered and then adopted an adult orange rescue cat named Mac. Nelly was instantly enamored with him, following him around like a puppy and always wanting to be next to him.
More recently, the rescue took in a pregnant cat from a hoarding situation who later gave birth to several kittens. Husk stepped up to foster and took in Bert, a tiny orange kitten. As soon as Nelly spotted Bert, as seen in the video below, he made a beeline for him, moving as fast as his little legs could carry him.
Bert is still a bit unsure of his shelled admirer. After all, he’s never met a tortoise before. Nelly, on the other hand, seemed completely convinced he had just met another orange bestie.
Related: Adorable Orange Cat’s Reaction to NASA Launch Has Everyone Watching Twice
A Pattern That’s Hard to Ignore
Husk has noticed a pattern: orange cats get Nelly’s full attention, while cats of other colors barely register. It’s become a running joke and a full-blown personality trait.
Interestingly, there may be a scientific explanation behind Nelly’s unusual preference. Tortoises are known to have strong color vision, and they can be especially drawn to bright hues like red, yellow and orange. It’s possible that Nelly simply perceives orange more vividly than other colors and finds it intriguing. Or maybe he just has excellent, slightly chaotic taste.
An Unlikely Friendship in the Making
Either way, the pairing of a slow-moving, love-struck tortoise and a slightly skeptical kitten is peak internet joy. In follow-up videos, it appears as if Bert is slowly starting to accept his shelled admirer. If Nelly’s track record is any indication, it’s only a matter of time before he wins him over.
Related: Brussels Griffon and Tiny Tortoise Hatchling Are the Cutest New Couple
This story was originally published by Parade Pets on Apr 20, 2026, where it first appeared in the Pet News section. Add Parade Pets as a Preferred Source by clicking here.