New Yorker Sees Cat Dart Across Subway Tracks as a Train Approaches. Her Next Move Saves Its Life 

Snix, a content creator and event performer, was waiting at Manhattan’s Bowery subway station one night when she noticed something unusual—a cat stuck on the tracks. Unsure of what to do, she pulled out her phone and began recording.

With a train expected in just one minute, she frantically searched for help. Spotting an MTA employee nearby, she asked if they could assist. But by the time they returned to the tracks, the cat had vanished. The worker informed Snix that the cat had apparently been living in the subway system for weeks.

Hoping to raise awareness, Snix posted the footage on TikTok using a popular audio clip—and went to sleep. By morning, the video had gone viral with over 1.6 million views. Among those viewers was the cat’s owner.

Diana, the owner, commented on the post and identified the cat as Scarlet—her service animal—who had been missing for nearly five months. From there, the two women began exchanging messages.

Diana explained that she had been returning regularly to the station in hopes of finding Scarlet, even keeping a record of every sighting. But accessing the tracks to attempt a rescue was too dangerous.

@itssnixbitxh

the train was 1 min away….i umderstand her logic #subway

♬ Jet2 Advert – ✈️A7-BBH | MAN 🇬🇧

Meanwhile, Snix continued to update followers on TikTok. Viewers flooded the comments with suggestions, urging her to contact a reputable New York City animal rescue organization. While Diana and Snix reached out to the MTA, they were passed along to the NYPD, and then to the FDNY. Despite their efforts, no one seemed willing to take action.

The MTA did not respond to PEOPLE’s request for comment.

“What concerns me is that there is no kind of communication when it comes to finding animals in the wild in New York,” Snix told PEOPLE. “A lot of people call 311 or 511. But there’s no immediate poster or notice. There is nothing about animal safety and control.”

Eventually, they were able to connect with an animal rescue organization. After reporting Scarlet’s sightings, the group submitted a formal request to the MTA to prioritize her rescue.

Snix credits her TikTok updates for building momentum. “With so much awareness and transparency on what’s going on, people came together and helped,” she said.

One evening, Snix received a message on Instagram from a stranger who had seen her video. “I don’t know anything about this. I don’t know anything about cats. I just saw your video, and I happened to look up, and the cat was right in front of me.”

The man texted a friend who lived nearby. Together, they brought a trap to the subway station and waited for hours, using cat milk replacer to lure Scarlet out. Eventually, they succeeded and brought her to the ASPCA.

The ASPCA examined Scarlet and gave her a clean bill of health. Soon after, she was reunited with Diana—who broke down in tears while holding Scarlet for the first time in months. She cradled the tuxedo cat tightly all the way home.

Diana later told Snix she believed “God has given [her] a second chance,” and said she wasn’t sure what might have happened had Snix not posted that original video.

With the week-long mission complete, Snix shared the joyful news with her followers.

“I made my final update, letting everyone know and thanking them. I don’t think without them all, any of this would have been possible,” Snix said. “That’s what’s crazy about social media; one little thing can come in and work together. There’s such a big emphasis on community, helping each other.”

She was deeply moved by how thousands of strangers rallied around a single cause and helped bring Diana and Scarlet back together.

“If this situation has taught me anything,” Snix added, “it’s that as a community, as a state, as New York City, we have the power to change what we need for our lives.

“Your voice does have power—your stance, your story. Everything you do has a chain, a thread, a link to it. So, as long as we build on solidarity and persistence, New York City can change for the better.”