A video of a cat apparently unable to open one of his eyes has gone viral on TikTok, earning 3.3 million views.
But the reason Winston couldn’t open his eye wasn’t because he was injured. Instead, the cat was simply “acting hurt” in a bid to tempt his owner, Rose (@rosiee_mj), into sharing her popcorn as he loves it, according to the text.
In the clip, he appears to keep one eye firmly shut as he sits beside his owner. When Rose eventually gives in and tosses him a kernel, the act is immediately abandoned. Winston’s eye opens straight away.
The video has racked up almost 640,000 likes at the time of writing, with viewers left in stitches by the dramatic turnaround.
The caption states that Winston was “fine immediately after.”
Rose later joked in the comments: “the vet confirmed this is popcorn deprivation.”
Viewers quickly joined in with the humor.
“He can feel the hunger in his eye,” one user sympathized and another wrote: “That is SO CONVINCING.”
A third added: “It’s a medical miracle. He is cured.”
Can Cats Eat Popcorn?
According to PetMD, popcorn offers little nutritional value for cats. It is considered empty calories and does not provide meaningful health benefits. Cats are obligate carnivores, meaning they require most of their nutrients from meat-based proteins. Carbohydrates, such as those found in popcorn, are harder for cats to process and do not serve the same purpose they do for omnivores like humans.
While plain popcorn does not benefit cats, it is also not toxic and is unlikely to cause harm in small amounts. However, that does not mean feeding popcorn to cats is completely risk-free.
Harmful Ingredients
PetMD notes that while plain, air‑popped popcorn is unlikely to be harmful, common additives can pose risks. Ingredients such as salt, butter, and flavored toppings—including chocolate or caramel—are not safe for cats. Additives are typically high in calories and fat, which cats do not need in excess. Chocolate, in particular, is toxic to cats.
Choking Risks
Popcorn kernels can also present a choking hazard. Their size may be large relative to a cat’s mouth, and attempting to chew or swallow them whole could result in choking or intestinal obstruction.
PetMD advises that if a cat happens to swipe a piece of plain popcorn, it is unlikely to cause harm. Portions should always be small, and popcorn should be free of toxic additives.
Can Popcorn Kill Cats?
Popcorn is very unlikely to kill cats, according to PetMD. Small amounts of plain popcorn given under supervision generally pose little risk. Greater concern arises if a cat eats a large quantity or consumes flavored popcorn, which can lead to gastrointestinal upset or illness.
There is also a possibility of choking, aspiration, or intestinal obstruction. However, under normal, supervised circumstances, it would be very rare for a small amount of plain popcorn to result in serious harm.
For Winston, though, the popcorn drama appears to have ended as quickly as it began—leaving viewers convinced they had just witnessed a very convincing performance.
Newsweek reached out to @rosiee_mj for comment via TikTok. We could not verify the details of the case.