Animals,CatsAUG 29, 2025

Woman Adopts Cat Who Was Returned Twice, Goes Viral After Learning His Incredible Hidden Talent

From their bleps to their beans to their frankly schizophrenic behavior, there’s so much to love about the internet’s favorite animal - cats. Unfortunately, black kitties have always gotten a bad rap for being a sign of bad luck, at least among superstitious folks.

One unlucky black cat, returned to a shelter twice before he was even six months old, finally found his forever home. That’s when he revealed a hidden talent for pulling tarot cards. After clips of him in action went viral, fans are now lining up around the block for readings.

Black cats are considered to be harbingers of bad luck by a lot of superstitious folks, and this poor kitty had quite the run of it

Image credits: mycatdoestarot / Instagram

Returned to a shelter twice before he was even six months old, his fortunes finally changed when he found his forever home

Cole may resemble your run-of-the-mill black housecat, but on social media he’s a mystical creature and his “familiar”, Emily Cook, is the person who first picked up on his unique talent. Across millennia of witchcraft, the lore of familiars (and loyal animal companions) has been rooted in the notion that these creatures assist witches in channeling magic and intuition, frequently serving as a connection between realms.

The bond Cook and Cole share is no exception. The pair has already amassed a community of nearly 60,000 followers on TikTok (where they post under the handle @mycatdoestarot) with devoted fans frothing to find out which cards Cole will pull next - and what the magical readings might imply.

Image credits: mycatdoestarot / Instagram

It wasn’t long before his new owner, an astrology enthusiast, noticed the cat, since named “Cole”, had an uncanny knack for pulling tarot cards

“I am very interested in tarot and astrology, so I had a deck of cards out, a traditional Rider–Waite deck, and I kept it in a cup holder on my couch,” recalls Cook. “[Cole] just decided one day to go in there, and he started grabbing the cards, you know, almost like a litter box shuffle. Then he would grab whatever ones he picked in his little cat mouth and drop [the cards] on the carpet with his teeth. And I was like, ‘What the heck?’”

Intrigued by Cole’s behavior, Cook began rewarding the cat with treats every time he selected a card. The positive reinforcement kicked in, and soon, he was pulling cards over and over again. “There are times that I don't wanna play 78 card pickup,” Cook adds. “But overall, it is super cool, and it's kind of freaky how accurate he gets sometimes.”

Image credits: mycatdoestarot / TikTok

In the Tarot, every card is layered with deep symbolism and spiritual meaning, often reflecting back what the reader (or querent) is already going through on a subconscious level. For many folks, tarot cards act as a mirror, revealing unspoken truths, hidden emotions, and the complex energetic patterns at play in someone’s life.

Image credits: mycatdoestarot / TikTok

Intrigued, she began rewarding him with treats every time he selected a card, and soon, he was pulling cards over and over again

When asked if the cat had ever given a reading that stopped her in her tracks, Cook instantly recalled, “Gosh, I do remember one of the first times that it hit me. I was going through some relationship issues and some backstabbing issues,” she recalls. “He had pulled the Seven of Swords, and I think it was The Lovers reverse. It was just like uncanny, and it just kept coming through over and over.”

Image credits: mycatdoestarot / TikTok

In tarot, the Seven of Swords often represents betrayal, deception, or someone acting in secrecy, while The Lovers reversed can point to conflict in relationships, disharmony, or choices made for the wrong reasons. According to Cook, who’d been through a horrific divorce, Cole’s card pulls hit close to home.

While Cole’s readings can be remarkably accurate, Cook wastes no time reminding fans of the feline that they happen wholly on his terms.

“People thinking that I can schedule an appointment with a cat is kinda crazy because he wants to do what he wants to do,” she says. Instead, Cook keeps a waitlist she can turn to whenever Cole is in the mood to work his magic. For the moment, readings are offered in exchange for donations, keeping the purrfect process as off-the-cuff and magical as it all started.