TikTok users were devastated by the short clip, and thousands flocked to the comments to share their support for Paws of Hope’s work.

One user wrote, “The way he just stayed there with his things,” with a crying emoji, to which the rescue worker replied: “He was counting on his owner to come back. Too bad they left him and went on about their day while I cried and didn’t sleep the first few nights.”

Another commenter wrote, “I will NEVER understand how someone can do this. Thank you for saving this precious baby.”

Some shared sympathy for whoever abandoned the kitten, with one TikToker writing, “You can tell he was loved at some point, the cat tree, and they left the food too.” Another person suggested it appeared that “someone’s parent didn’t let them keep it, and they did what they could so their kitty could feel comfortable.”

However, the seasoned rescuer was having none of it.

She replied to one commenter who suggested the owner could be in danger and abandoned the cat outside the building as a last resort by saying: “They could’ve left him inside the staircase. If this person was in danger, then they also put the cat in danger by leaving it outside across a busy street and a highway.”

According to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA), around 3.2 million cats end up in shelters across the United States each year.

Of all 810,000 animals who enter shelters as strays each year, only around 100,000 cats are returned to their owners.

Thankfully, Paws of Hope shared in an update on Instagram that the kitten, now named Promise, has already found a safe new home.

In a post showing Promise getting cuddles in his forever home, she wrote, “I’m thrilled to share the amazing news that Promise was officially adopted by his foster mom, who immediately fell in love with him.”