TikTok user nicoles_garbage_goblins first uploaded the viral clip on September 9 last year, and it has since been viewed on an estimated 4.7 million occasions and liked more than one million times.
The clip opens with the user walking up to the dumpster to see if there were any raccoons inside.
But when she peered into the red dumpster, she was stunned to find a small kitten darting around inside alongside several raccoons.
“Oh my God there’s a kitten,” the woman said. “Oh my gosh.”
Clearly startled by the woman, the kitten quickly ran around the pile of trash before finally hiding in the corner with its furry friends. Seconds later, the raccoons can be seen leaving the dumpster, with the kitten nowhere in sight.
The clip then ends with one of the raccoons trying to leave the dumpster via an upside down trash bin that had been placed near the side.
In a follow-up video, the user explained that both the kitten and the raccoons were able to escape the dumpster and that the feline was part of the group.
When asked whether the raccoons adopted the kitten, she said: “I think it’s probably a part of the pack since they’re back together again.
The woman uploaded the same clip months later in a response video where she claimed it was her most-viewed TikTok post of 2021.
In the response video, thousands of commenters raced to share their opinion about what happened with some even expressing their concern that the kitten was at risk of being eaten.
A commenter said: “A rescue in my city found a kitten the same way. She had joined a family of raccoons and they all got stuck in a dumpster.”
Another added: “Aw, I love when animals adopt a different species so precious.”
While a third person posted: “Aww poor thing. Glad it got out. Raccoons eat kittens.”
Other commenters shared tips with others about how they got raccoons out from their dumpsters.
One TikTok user said: “We used to always keep a board by our dumpster so when this happened we could put it in and they could climb out.”
Newsweek has contacted nicoles_garbage_goblins for comment.
While raccoons do look cute, they can be irritating and unwelcome guests in homes and elsewhere unless people take steps to deter them.
According to the Regional Wildlife Services, these are the steps you can take to avoid unwanted raccoons:
Use bright lights and foot traffic around your home to make the raccoons feel unwelcome. Remove vegetation as raccoons will forage for food anywhere they can, so don’t make their job easy. Use garlic or cayenne pepper to make a repellant as raccoons do not like the smell. Close off any access points, protect your garbage and cover water sources. If possible, plant cucumber alongside your fence as raccoons hate the smell.
