Singer Is 'Upstaged' By Her Own 'Diva' Cat And The Internet Loves It

Aug 19, 2022

Not all of us are made for the spotlight, but for those of us who are, sharing it can be hard to do.

TikTok user Maura Navarrete, who goes by the handle @maura.music, discovered this very trait in her cat while trying to film a video. 

The middle school choir teacher and 24-year-old soprano Navarrete was in the midst of filming herself singing Enrique Granados’s “El Majo Discreto” when her fur baby unexpectedly jumped into the frame. Annoyed by the intrusion, she turned the music off. However, her cat Maximino, facing straight at the camera with its eyes wide with focus, had begun “singing” where Navarrete had left off. Stunned at first by Maximino’s newfound skill, Navarrete burst into cackles of laughter before turning the music back on for Maximino to finish.

The kitty’s operatic prowess took the internet by storm, with the viral video garnering more than 1.5 million likes. Despite being upstaged by Maximino’s mewling, Navarrete settled humbly for second place, captioning the clip, “What a legend. #OperaCat #OperaSinger #catsoftiktok #bestsinger #talent #musictok.”

Navarrete told Newsweek the video was taken in 2015, and she had decided to upload it after finding it was still on her phone.

“I could not believe so many people were reacting and posting so many sweet comments,” she said, adding, “It made my day, and it made me happy to share smiles with others.”

She described Maximino as an extremely vocal little feline.

“He loves music, and the only way I can get him to follow me is by whistling his favorite tunes,” she said.

Musical talent appears to run in the family, as Maximino’s not the only one with a love of song.

Navarette worked as a middle school choir teacher and was just about to finish her first year of work after completing college when tragedy struck. According to a GoFundMe campaign, she was born with a third-degree heart block, meaning that her heart was electrically disconnected.

She had not required any medical intervention until she was 24 years old, when a pacemaker had to be surgically implanted. Navarrete set up her GoFundMe page with a target of $19,444 to help pay off her medical bills. 

Despite the medical setback, Navarrete has continued to find solace in her diva of a cat, posting more videos of Maximino “practicing” his singing with her help. 

Viewers were more than impressed with Maximino’s talent, praising the kitty for giving it his all while he had the spotlight.

“He's really putting his little soul into it omg,” one user wrote while another said, “he’s like ‘move over let me show you how it's done.’”

“Idk what you’re auditioning for, but both of you got the part,” one comment read. Another user said, “He said WE are making it to Juilliard,” to which Navarrete replied, “Take us both or take neither.”

Others encouraged both Maximino and his cat mom to reach for the stars. Many praised Maximino’s confidence, saying he “straight upstaged” Navarrete. “Such a diva. He’s like you can shine when I’m done … Ok I’m done,” another comment read.

Meanwhile, Navarrete posted a video saying she was set to audition virtually for “American Idol” before giving viewers a taste of what she would be singing. Here’s to hoping we’ll see more of Navarrete in the future, as well as her understudy Maximino!

What do you think of Maximino’s vocal abilities? Do any of your pets have any unusual talents as well? Let us know, and pass this on to all the cat – and cat music – lovers you know.