Operatic cat steals owner’s limelight, meowing his own melody in viral TikTok

17 August 2022, 13:41 | Updated: 25 October 2022, 17:53

The oper-catic purrformer has stolen the hearts of TikTok users everywhere with his melodic meows...

Maura Navarrete, who goes by @maura.music on TikTok, is a 24-year-old soprano and middle school choir teacher.

While practising her singing in front of a camera, the Mexican singer captured an unexpected performance... from her persian cat, Max – full name, Maximino.

Maura was singing Spanish composer Enrique Granados’ classical song El majo discreto (‘The Discreet Lover’), but only managed a few notes before Max appeared in frame.

Initially appearing mildly miffed at the cat’s attempt to block her from the camera, it soon became apparent that Max had come to steal his teenage owner’s limelight, by performing an original arrangement of the aria himself.

Maura’s eyes widened as Max began a virtuosic vocalisation, and couldn’t help but giggle at her pet’s rendition. Watch below.

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Woman cracks up as her cat tries to mimic her opera solo

Maura’s TikTok, originally filmed seven years ago, has now garnered over five million views and she has made subsequent videos with the social media app’s furriest opera star.

In a second video, Maura performs Giulio Caccini’s solo voice work Amarilli, mia bella, with Max interjecting between each line, gifting viewers his now famous musical meows.

TikTok users described the duet as “purrfect”, with many saying both the performer and purrformer were “naturals”.

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Maura recently completed a degree in music education and vocal performance at the University of the Incarnate Word in San Antonio, Texas, and has been studying classical singing for over 10 years.

Graduating to become a middle school choir teacher, she was due to complete her first year of work post-graduation, but this was cut short.

Maura was born with a third-degree AV heart block, and earlier this year had an operation to surgically implant a pacemaker. Maura is crowdfunding to pay off the fees of her surgery, which took place in May 2022.

Over her last few months of recovery time, Maura has posted more singing content across her social media platforms, and Max has taken his place as a co-star of her channels.

Personally, we’re waiting for a rendition of Rossini’s Duetto buffo di due gatti, more commonly known as ‘The Cat Duet’...