Florida woman goes to Home Depot. Then she finds something unusual in the plants section: ‘he found the stash’
A Florida woman found something surprising at Home Depot that caught her eye. However, it wasn’t a plant or a special piece of hardware that could help with a future home improvement. Instead, it was a furry, fuzzy beast sitting on a pile of catnip.
TikToker Gabrielle John (@gabrielle.john) saw a fuzzy feline who “found the stash” of catnip at her local store. The content creator then posted a video of the cat, who was relaxing directly on top of the plants, which reached 1.3 million viewers within a short period. While many viewers had jokes about the fact that the catnip “actually grew a cat,” others wondered whether or not the cat was a permanent part of that particular Home Depot’s crew.
Do some Home Depots have ‘Home Depot cats?’
A few commenters shared that their Home Depot stores have “Home Depot cats”—permanent felines that live inside Home Depot stores. While it doesn’t seem to be common, at least one other commenter has seen a cat living in the gardening section at the store, and others have shared online stories of stores adopting cats that live there permanently.
One commenter posted a picture of his “Home Depot cat,” which was a sharp-looking calico standing amongst a few flowers. “She lives in the gardening section,” the TikToker said.
There was another commenter who shared a photo of a cat from a competing hardware store, Lowe’s. The viewer managed to find the orange and white tabby sitting on top of piles and piles of garden soil.
Then, there’s a Home Depot in Mount Laurel that’s famous for one particular kitty employee. Leo, a cat with an “elaborate setup” and many t-shirts, has captured the heart of many locals who come to visit him on a daily basis. He has an array of t-shirts from his fans, who frequently leave him treats as well as a token of their appreciation.
The Mount Laurel Home Depot adopted Leo from a shelter in July of 2022. He didn’t capriciously make the store his home and worm his way into the hearts of employees over time. He had already been a member of the community from the day he was adopted.
As of April 2, 2026, Leo is still hanging out inside the New Jersey Home Depot. Jeff Simpkins, a man who regularly posts the cat, posted a video of him chilling on a large pet bed in one of the store’s iconic orange shopping carts.
Viewers joke about the catnip cat
John did not clarify whether the catnip cat was a permanent part of that Home Depot’s team, but others hoped that the cat was.
For one, the cat enjoying catnip so much was “purrfect advertising,” as one commenter put it. So, a few commenters assumed he was a Home Depot-owned feline.
But, some viewers claimed that the cat was “TNR,” after seeing its clipped ears, which means trap, neuter, and return. It refers to cats that can’t be adopted normally but still get neutered or spayed. Many vet clinics, for instance, have initiatives to neuter and spay feral cats. But, these cats often can’t be adopted or acclimated to a home environment. In those circumstances, a vet clinic will microchip the cat. They give the feline all of the necessary care it needs and then release it.
It’s unclear then, whether this particular Home Depot formed an attachment to the cat and started feeding it or if it’s the cat’s first time exploring the catnip section. There’s a chance this feline wandered off on its own after John saw it rather than making the Home Depot its permanent living quarters.
@gabrielle.john @The Home Depot Is this considered quality control or theft?! ? #gardeningtiktok #catsoftiktok #viralvideo #funnyanimalvideos ♬ som original – ???????.
The Mary Sue reached out to John via TikTok direct message and Home Depot via email for more information.
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