One Eared Uno is the ceo of having one ear.
This rescue cat is the king of the TikTok jungle with over 2.6 million fans on the video-sharing app.
If you would like to learn how we got 1 million TikTok followers in a month, check out our latest YouTube video here.
Uno has quite the active lifestyle, taking regular walks with his Mom Kat to socialise with some canine friends.
He likes to go hiking but perhaps is favourite pasttime is trips to Petco to buy treats.
We spoke to Kat to learn more about Uno, his day-to-day life as a social media superstar and their advice for someone starting a TikTok for their pet.
You can follow One Eared Uno on TikTok here.
1) Can you tell us how you ended up with Uno?
Uno (Photo: @one_eared_uno / Instagram)
Sure! When I lived in Minnesota, I was walking home with a friend from a Saints baseball game (which they won!) and when I was walking near my car a little black cat meowed at us. He was underweight (and later found out he had bacteria in his ears) but friendly, so I took him home with the intent to find him a home. He slept in my bed and kept putting his paw on my cheek while I was sleeping. Uno stole my heart, and I ended up keeping him.
2) The obvious question for new followers is how did Uno end up with just one ear?
I don’t know how Uno ended up with one ear. I ask him all the time and he just stares at me (when I found him, his ear was already missing, so…).
3) What is Uno’s personality like?
He’s very smart, he’s vocal about what he wants (he’s trained me to move his cat tree next to the window during the day, and then next to my bed during the night). He has a lot of energy, but he’s picky about how he wants to use his energy.
4) What is a typical day like for Uno?
• 6:15am: wakes me up by poking my face with his paw so I can feed his food dish (when he knows darn well he has an automatic food feeder that will dispense his breakfast at 6:30am). I give in and give him a few teeth cleaning treats and digestion treats to much on while he waits a while 15minutes for his 6:30am breakfast to be dispensed. He will go back to sleep after he’s finished half of his food.
• 6:45am – 5:00pm: Uno is either sleeping, in his cat tree intensely staring out the window (or in his cat tree sleeping), or sleeping in my lap (when I work from home I like to sit in my bed). If he is asleep, Uno rolls into different adorable positions every 30 minutes. It’s adorable. I take many photographs
• 6:30pm: Uno usually wants to go on a walk. We go on a walk (20 minutes-ish). I usually bring his backpack just in case I feel like he’s getting overstimulated (I put him in there and he feels safe and just sits inside and watches the world. He loves that backpack – he’ll climb into it when I pull it out at home). Sometimes I film brief parts of the walk for TikTok (or Snapchat / Instagram).
• 9:00pm: he either really wants to cuddle, or he’ll get random bursts of energy, we play until he chills, and he sleeps on my bed (or he’ll start by sleeping on his cat tree next to the bed, but then eventually join me in bed).
5) I saw your video of walking Uno on a harness. Did that require a lot of practice or did Uno immediately take to it?
We worked up to it.
• FIRST: I just started taking him into the apartment complex yard and let him wander around (I followed him very closely and put it on Snapchat and Instagram because my friends got such a kick out of it).
• SECOND: After a month or so of doing this a few times a week, I bought a harness and put it on him when we went outside. I didn’t hold the leash at all: I just put the harness and leash on him and followed him around the yard.
• THIRD: After another month or so I started holding the leash, but I let him totally pick the directions of the walk.
• NOW: Uno has a few different routes he likes to do. On the walks, he likes to chew on plants, sniff things and say hi to dogs (he’ll walk right up to them!). He can be stubborn if I’m trying to get him to go a direction he decides he doesn’t want to go (like, sometimes I know the direction he wants to go has construction happening and I know the sound will scare him, so I try to re-direct him).
6) What are the common questions you get asked about Uno?
Uno (Photo: @one_eared_uno / Instagram)
– “Is he actually a dog?” (lol, maybe)
– “Why is his name Uno?” (they laugh when I tell them I named him “Uno” for his one ear)
– “Is he a rescue?” (yes!)
– “How is he so chill?” (I don’t know)
– “How often do you walk him?” (2-3 times a week)
7) How does it feel to have over 1.5m million followers on TikTok?
Uno enjoys it. I can tell he likes making the videos with me because he can tell it makes me happy. It’s a really fun way for us to bond and learn a lot about each other.
8) What inspired you to start a TikTok for Uno in the first place?
I think Uno is a really great cat, and since I had a TikTok page, I decided to make him one. He’s always been really special and I just wanted to share his adventures with other people.
9) What is your favorite video or the most popular video that you’ve posted of Uno?
The video where Uno and I went to Petco to find Halloween costumes. I think it has over 12M views. We had so much fun making that video, and the Petco employees had fun being part of it (and people recognized them on the street after the video went viral!)
10) What are the advantages of TikTok over Instagram?
It’s more video-forward, and I’m love making and watching videos, hence why I’m so drawn to the app!
11) Do you prefer to plan out your videos or do more spontaneous content?
Usually, I just plan to do something with Uno and then I think, “Lets film this and see how it goes!”). Most videos end up being pretty spontaneous, but I always have to think ahead before filming (just because I want to make sure Uno is going to be safe and having fun).
12) Has TikTok opened any other doors or created any cool opportunities for you and Uno?
Uno’s TikTok has allowed me to connect with a lot of other cat-content creators. Animal content creators are amazing people, so I love talking to them, learning more about their connection with their cat, exchanging funny cat stories and just enjoying their content. Uno and I are working on a few cat-focused products and occasionally partner with brands Uno and I like.
13) What other TikTok accounts do you draw inspiration from or recommend to our readers?
• @bobbyjoe_the_cat: Bobby Joe the cat goes on so many fun adventures on his leash and in his stroller. Also, Bobby Joe does heartwarming skits about being shy. It’s so cute and entertaining.
• @titotheraccoon – Tito The Raccoon is also big on Instagram and YouTube. Tito is a rescue raccoon that is well-behaved but with a big personality. Tito paints, plays with animals outside his species, and just lives his best life!
• @Rosssmith – the relationship between the grandson and grandma sometimes reminds me of the relationship Uno and I have
• @munchkin_tv – these cats are adorable!
• @petgreens – I love the products they sell, and their content is super cute.
14) What are the pros and cons of TikTok?
It is a great way to connect with people and their pets all over the world. I don’t really have any cons.
15) Tell us your funniest Uno story please.
Uno likes to climb into empty bathtubs and meow. I think he likes the acoustics and how his meow sounds when it bounces off the walls.
Finally, for someone start a TikTok for their pet, what three bits of advice would you offer them?
Uno (Photo: @one_eared_uno / Instagram)
Have fun, try things out, and go into TikTok with an open mind. Sometimes the simplest idea will be your most successful (and most fun to make).
Also – make sure while you make your videos, and be really mindful you’re not overstimulating your pet. Make sure your pet likes being filmed before you start making videos with them. Their safety and happiness should be your first priority.
