A pet owner has gained viral attention after revealing the procedure her cat had that is often likened to human gender-reassignment surgery.

In a video shared on June 5 on TikTok, which has received more than 1.3 million views, Charlie Chronis from Los Angeles shared footage of her cat Siegfried, joking that he had "gender reassignment surgery."

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"[It is] funny that it's garnered so much attention—it's honestly a pretty common surgery for male cats," Chronis told Newsweek. The Siamese mixed-breed cat underwent a perineal ureterostomy, often abbreviated as PU surgery, which is a solution for cats with a blockage in their urinary tract. The surgery creates a new urinary opening, decreasing the length of the urethra and allowing urine to bypass this narrowed region.

The surgery is often recommended when a urethral obstruction within the penis cannot be removed through medical therapy, and in cases of recurrent urethral obstructions. For many male cats, this surgery can be lifesaving, allowing them to live healthier, more comfortable lives.

"He had kidney stones, which led to persistent urinary tract infections and, after treating him with a catheter three times, this was the final solution," Chronis said.

In serious cases, urinary blockages in cats can prevent them from urinating completely. Life-threatening consequences can occur in as little as 12 to 24 hours of being unable to urinate, and death from untreated obstruction may occur in 36 to 48 hours.

Thanks to the PU surgery, which makes the male cat's urethra more similar to a female's, the risk of future blockages will be reduced.

A month and a half after his operation, Siegfried is back to his normal, playful self. "I thought my situation was hilarious and unimaginable, leading me to post my video," said Chronis. "[I] didn't realize how many other cats have gone through a similar experience."

The video prompted lots of responses online from people who were amazed to learn about the procedure.

BrightBlueEyes posted, "I never knew this was a thing," while Mary wrote: "We adopted a cat like this and named him RuPawl."

"I've got a trans kitty too!" commented Ginabutcherr.

Someone who sees the procedure often weighed in too, as A_scho posted: "Vet tech here... This is hilarious."

RecklessRoca wrote: "Omg [oh my God] I know someone whose cat had this and we thought it was a one-time deal."

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