This chunky gray-and-orange cat clearly wasn’t trying to spread joy. Perched with a permanent scowl and an unimpressed stare, he simply seemed content to sit and judge the world in silence.
And yet — mission accomplished.
Early last Sunday, on a chilly New York City sidewalk, photographer Brooke Goldman was already having one of those mornings. Her boyfriend had an early train to catch, and despite desperately wanting to stay in bed, Goldman had volunteered to walk with him.
“I was pretty out of it,” Goldman told The Dodo. “I just wanted to get home as fast as possible and go back to sleep. I was not ready for the day.”
Then, mid-walk, something stopped her cold.
Just ahead, nestled inside a small outdoor nativity scene, sat a plump, thoroughly unimpressed cat — parked squarely in the manger, as if he’d claimed the role for himself.
The cat showed zero concern for tradition or the tiny figurines surrounding him. In fact, he appeared perfectly at home, soaking in the quiet reverence of the scene while offering nothing but a stern, grumpy glare in return.
Goldman, on the other hand, completely lost it.
“I was laughing so hard,” she said.
In an instant, her exhaustion vanished. The unexpected sight of a sour-faced feline stealing the spotlight turned her whole morning around.
“He definitely brought me joy on that walk home,” Goldman said. “Laughing that hard that early in the day makes everything afterward feel more positive.”
Luckily for the rest of us, Goldman snapped a few photos and shared them, allowing the unimpressed cat to unintentionally spread even more holiday cheer.
Because sometimes, all it takes to lift a bad morning is a perfectly timed photo of a grumpy cat in a manger.
“A good animal picture can cure anything,” Goldman said.
