Woman Struggling with Mental Health Adopts Cat with Anxiety, Goes Viral (Exclusive)

Michelle Lam was scrolling through adoptable cats online when one caught her eye. Suki was described as “a big-eyed petite girl,” which Lam related to, so she requested to foster her. 

“When I first got Suki, I was going through a breakup, and I struggled with anxiety for years,” Lam shares with PEOPLE exclusively. “I've had pets growing up, but before I got Suki, it had been a couple of years since I've had a pet. I'm glad I found her because she matches me in many ways.”

Lam wanted to adopt a cat in hopes the furry feline would help alleviate her anxiety.

“I knew I had to have Suki, and I actually fostered to adopt her,” she says. “I wasn't sure I would adopt her, but I fell in love with her as soon as she came home.” 

However, it turns out the two are more alike than Lam initially suspected, as Suki also has anxiety.

Lam posted a now-viral TikTok about the ironic situation, posting various clips of Suki looking anxious, captioned, “the cat I got to help me with my anxiety.” Lam says Suki has “an avoidant” personality and “likes being alone.”

“When there are people around, that's when she becomes anxious. She's good with the people she's familiar with. Anytime someone new comes, she'll go hiding in the basement,” Lam confesses.

“You will never see her in a group setting. We both have anxiety, but Suki's is different from mine. She's not affectionate at all, but it's more forced affection.” 

Lam has had Suki for almost three years. She adopted a second cat, Kabuki, just a few months after bringing Suki home.

“I find comfort in just looking at them and seeing them in their daily life, just doing anything,” she says of her fur babies

However, she admits that Suki and Kabuki “don't always get along.”

“Suki is very sassy. Even though she looks innocent and always worried, she's mean to my other cat, Kabuki, who just takes it,” Lam says.

“You never know what to expect with pets in general. It's always good to have them around like you never feel alone.”

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Lam says her life is “different” now that she is a pet owner, but notes that it's for the better.

“It feels good to have a pet, a little creature, to come home to, like someone who you know depends on you.”

Lam says she would encourage those struggling with anxiety to get a pet, even if it's just for the short term, through fostering.

“Animals are a great source of stress relief and de-stressing;  they make good companions. They really understand you,” Lam admits.” It takes time, but sometimes I look at Suki and know it will be okay. But really, I'm just talking to myself through her, telling myself it's gonna be okay.”

“They're always there when you just need them to be there. No matter what you're going through, you still have this little thing whose life depends on you,” Lam shares.