Guy's viral story of becoming an unexpected 'Cat Dad' is utterly adorable
"Paternal instincts kicking in. Overwhelmed with feels. Don't know how to deal."

Even if you're not a cat person, you might have missed out on this wonderful journey.
Life can come at you really fast.
Sometimes you're just moseying along, smelling the flowers (or getting your usual morning coffee; I don't know your routine) — and then BAM! Your existence has entered a new and exciting stage you weren't at all prepared for.
We've all been there. And that's probably why so many on the internet are relating to a man named Paris Zarcilla, or as the internet has dubbed him, #CatDad.
All Zarcilla wanted was to grab a sweater. He found a litter of kittens under his bed instead.
On May 29, 2018, Zarcilla rolled up to his bedroom to get himself a change of clothes. Then, I assume, he heard some kind of strange noise. And because this isn't that type of horror movie, he decided to check under his bed.
Where he found this:
\u201cSo... I JUST FOUND A CAT THAT IS NOT MINE AND IT HAS HAD BABIES UNDER MY BED.\u201d— Paris Zarcilla (@Paris Zarcilla) 1527670414
That tweet went viral almost instantly, with the entire internet dissolving into what I imagine to be a puddle of mewling goo. At least, that's where I was when I started favoriting these tweets.
But while the rest of us were enjoying the delight that a surprise pack of kittens and their mama can bring to an otherwise dull day, Zarcilla was struggling with an important question:
\u201cSo... I JUST FOUND A CAT THAT IS NOT MINE AND IT HAS HAD BABIES UNDER MY BED.\u201d— Paris Zarcilla (@Paris Zarcilla) 1527670414
\u201cTrying to adjust to the catshit crazy reality of going upstairs to grab a jumper but instead finding a cat and 4 kittens. Am I dad now?\u201d— Paris Zarcilla (@Paris Zarcilla) 1527670414
Hello and welcome to the world's most adorable existential crisis.
\u201cPaternal instincts kicking in. Overwhelmed with feels. Don't know how to deal.\u201d— Paris Zarcilla (@Paris Zarcilla) 1527670414
\u201cCancelling all my plans. Crawling under the bed to spend the rest of the day with my four new children. #newdad\u201d— Paris Zarcilla (@Paris Zarcilla) 1527670414
I mean, what else are you going to do, right? You find a couple of kittens just hanging out in your home, clear your schedule, and start partying with them. (Safely and from a few feet away, maybe, so as not to spook them.)
If there's one thing that this story proves, it's how important animals are in our lives.
I'll spare you every one of the adorable cat pictures in the thread (and there are a lot), but many people have joined in on the love, and Zarcilla's story has become even more epic as he continued live-tweeting his experience.
Sure, he's doing a lot for the kittens — he can't separate them from the mom for six weeks, so everyone's staying under his bed indefinitely — but he's also recognizing the power our furry friends (or, you know, furry strangers who quickly become friends) have to impact our mood and change our outlook on life.
Zarcilla even pointed out the fact that being with the cats and the responsibility of becoming #CatDad may really be helping his mental health.
\u201cI feel like the veil of the universe is being lifted slightly. Like, I feel high. Is this what it feels like to have a child? I think I'm falling in love. Fuck.\u201d— Paris Zarcilla (@Paris Zarcilla) 1527670414
\u201cThis is too much. I'm approaching nirvana. I legitimately suffer from anxiety attacks and depression and my capacity to deal with it recently has been waning. The Cat Gods have smiled upon me with benevolence and turned the monsters under my bed into kittens.\u201d— Paris Zarcilla (@Paris Zarcilla) 1527670414
\u201cIs it unhealthy to get tears on kittens? Is it unhealthy to cry about kittens? Asking for me.\u201d— Paris Zarcilla (@Paris Zarcilla) 1527670414
According to research, being the dad (or mom or parent) to a cat — or dog, if you're so inclined — is beneficial for us humans. Dog owners experience less stress, and those who own cats are less likely to have heart problems.
And it's therapeutic to spend time with an animal, because, unlike other humans, they're not going to expect anything from you except that you feed and love them. That's why so many of us may feel more comfortable being ourselves around our pets.
Of course, not all of us will be blessed with the discovery of a whole group of cats in our own homes.
Although strange kitties wandering in and just doing their thing in someone's dining room aren't unheard of.
So if you're considering a pet, don't wait for a family of felines to take up in your room. Consider rescuing an animal (like Chris Evans did!) to become your companion.
As for #CatDad? He's doing just fine.
\u201cI think I'm living the best day of my life. Wait, no. Actually fuck it yes I am. This is the best :')\u201d— Paris Zarcilla (@Paris Zarcilla) 1527670662
You're doing amazing, dude.
And for a quick update... looks like the journey of his, "cat life" is evolving.
\u201cThe human cat-tree adventures continue!\n\nKo-fi (regular cat posts)\nhttps://t.co/vz4e078fhY\n\nIG (film+cats+art)\nhttps://t.co/rz5RupAm6E\n\nCatdad YT (figuring it out) \nhttps://t.co/jVyIiYgKXV\n\nTwitch (STREAM COMING SOON!)\nhttps://t.co/Ikv3ClkhIv\u201d— Paris Zarcilla (@Paris Zarcilla) 1668971058
This article originally appeared on 06.01.18
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There's a reason why some people can perfectly copy accents, and others can't
Turns out, there's a neurodivergent link.
A woman in black long sleeve shirt stands in front of mirror.
Have you ever had that friend who goes on vacation for four days to London and comes back with a full-on Queen's English posh accent? "Oooh I left my brolly in the loo," they say, and you respond, "But you're from Colorado!" Well, there are reasons they (and many of us) do that, and usually it's on a pretty subconscious level.
It's called "accent mirroring," and it's actually quite common with people who are neurodivergent, particularly those with ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder). According Neurolaunch, the self-described "Free Mental Health Library," "Accent mirroring, also known as accent adaptation or phonetic convergence, is the tendency to unconsciously adopt the accent or speech patterns of those around us. This linguistic chameleon effect is not unique to individuals with ADHD, but it appears to be more pronounced and frequent in this population."
Essentially, when people have conversations, we're constantly "scanning" for information—not just the words we're absorbing, but the inflection and tone. "When we hear an accent, our brains automatically analyze and categorize the phonetic features, prosody, and intonation patterns," writes Neurolaunch. For most, this does result in copying the accent of the person with whom we're speaking. But those with ADHD might be more sensitive to auditory cues. This, "coupled with a reduced ability to filter out or inhibit the impulse to mimic…could potentially explain the increased tendency for accent mirroring."
While the article explains further research is needed, they distinctly state that, "Accent mirroring in individuals with ADHD often manifests as an unconscious mimicry of accents in social situations. This can range from subtle shifts in pronunciation to more noticeable changes in intonation and speech rhythm. For example, a person with ADHD might find themselves unconsciously adopting a Southern drawl when conversing with someone from Texas, even if they’ve never lived in the South themselves."
People are having their say online. On the subreddit r/ADHDWomen, a thread began: "Taking on accents is an ADHD thing?" The OP shares, "My whole life, I've picked up accents. I, myself, never noticed, but everyone around me would be like, 'Why are you talking like that??' It could be after I watched a show or movie with an accent or after I've traveled somewhere with a different accent than my 'normal.'
They continue, "Apparently, I pick it up fast, but it fades out slowly. Today... I'm scrolling Instagram, I watch a reel from a comedian couple (Darcy and Jeremy. IYKYK) about how Darcy (ADHD) picks up accents everywhere they go. It's called ADHD Mirroring??? And it's another way of masking."
(The OP is referring to Darcy Michaels and his husband Jeremy Baer, who are both touring comedians based in Canada.)
Hundreds of people on the Reddit thread alone seem to relate. One comments, "Omfg I've done this my whole life; I'll even pick up on the pauses/spaces when I'm talking to someone who is ESL—but English is my first language lol."
Sometimes, it can be a real issue for those around the chameleon. "I accidentally mimicked a waitress's weird laugh one time. As soon as she was out of earshot, my family started to reprimand me, but I was already like 'oh my god I don’t know why I did that, I feel so bad.'"
Many commenters on TikTok were shocked to find out this can be a sign of ADHD. One jokes, "Omg, yes, at a store the cashier was talking to me and she was French. She's like 'Oh are you French too? No, I'm not lol. I'm very east coast Canada."
And some people just embrace it and make it work for them. "I mirror their words or phrase! I’m 30. I realized I start calling everyone sweetie cause my manager does & I work at coffee shop."