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Meet the man behind the internet’s favourite instructional cat video

‘Squish that cat.’

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A viral video is yet again proving that when it comes to cats, the internet will embrace anything.

Uri Burstyn, 38, from Vancouver, British Columbia, owns two vet clinics and runs a minimally invasive surgery service for pets.

He has been a vet for more than 10 years and recently began to show his work with a YouTube channel.

In his latest video, he fills in the public on some of the best ways to hold your cat, including “squishing” them.

“He came to me while I was a vet student in Australia, one of two kittens abandoned at a train station in a cardboard box,” Uri said.

“He’s travelled from Australia to Vancouver with me, from Vancouver to NY where I did my internship and back, so we’ve been through a lot!”

Uri makes his videos to help his patients’ owners remember his advice, but also to reach out to others who need advice on caring for their pets.

“It is well known that people often have a hard time remembering more than about 40% of what is said at a doctor’s office, and there are some things that are so common that I repeat them four or five times per day,” Uri said.

The video has gone spectacularly viral, with more than three million views. Uri is surprised by the reaction to the video given the relatively simple skills he is showing in it.

“I am both surprised and humbled at the magnitude of the response to this video,” said Uri.

“Maybe it’s just that people like to see a bit of themselves in their media, and people really love cats. I really love my cats and have a great relationship with them, so there is a natural sympathy between us.”

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