A woman was puzzled by her cat's peculiar behaviour, only to experience an incredible surprise.

TikTok user Sarah Smith observed her feline companion sitting unusually on the sofa, and a few hours later, the gave birth to a litter of six . Sarah shared the heartwarming journey of her pet becoming a mother on the popular social media platform.

Cats can become pregnant as early as four months old, with five to six months being the most common age, according to .The video resonated with fellow cat enthusiasts who found the footage touching.

The clip begins with the expectant cat perched on the sofa before moving to a box lined with a blanket, where she begins to "clean and prepare" herself. Sarah noted that her cat started following her around the house, seemingly seeking comfort.

The cat then returned to her box, experienced her first contractions, and alternated between Sarah and her bed. Sarah managed to capture the moment her pet gave birth on a blanket she had laid down.

After delivering her entire litter, the new mother cat lovingly licked and cradled her six kittens. Despite appearing weary in the video, Sarah assured viewers that her cat was "content and exhausted."

Since being posted six days ago, the TikTok video has amassed 687,900 views, 132,900 likes, and nearly 600 comments. One user gushed: "She is adorable and the kittens as well."

Others fawned over the adorable scene, with one writing: "Beautiful cat, it's amazing when they want you to share in the process" and another adding "nature is so beautiful." However, some users couldn't help but notice the mother cat's exhaustion, commenting "Momma is so exhausted. It's all over her face" and "aw she looks so tired at the end."

Others were amazed by the unusual footage, with one saying: "Omg I've never seen this before thank you." A different user shared their own surprise experience with a cat giving birth: "My cat gave birth under the bed in the middle of the night completely silent. Woke up at 6am to tiny mews and was very confused."

Meanwhile, many commenters emphasised the importance of spaying the cat to prevent future litters and promote her overall health. One user urged: "And now mama cat gets spayed I should hope! It'll help her health and temperament as well as prevent new litters."

Another added: "[Please] get her and the kittens spayed. It's crucial to control overpopulation and prevent innocent, healthy kittens from being euthanised due to overcrowding in shelters - a heartbreaking reality that occurs daily."

Spaying is a straightforward procedure that prevents female cats from having kittens, and the cites a study highlighting that allowing a cat to have a litter of kittens "can mean headaches and heartaches for many owners." The study revealed that "60 per cent of cat owners who had experienced their cat having kittens would not let them have kittens again".

Also, 52 per cent struggled to find suitable homes for their cat's offspring. Sadly, 12 per cent were unable to find homes at all and had to resort to rescue centres for assistance.