When Amanda from Arizona heard her doorbell ring twice late one evening, she never expected the visitors to be so adorable—or so furry. What started as a moment of concern turned into a viral sensation, highlighting both the challenges and the heartwarming potential of caring for stray animals.

Amanda is well-known in her neighborhood for her dedication to the local stray cat population. She often takes on the financial and emotional burden of ensuring these animals have food and water. "These kitties are part of a litter of stray cats that I care for. I take care of all the stray cats that I see on my street," she told Newsweek.

"It's financially hard for me to do so, but someone has to do it. Right?? These sweet kitties have a hard life. I want to make sure that they have all the food and fresh water they can possibly need."

On that particular evening, the urgent ringing of her doorbell at 9:30 p.m. had her worried that it might be an emergency. "It sounded like a frantic ring from what we assumed was a neighbor," she said. But when she checked the security footage, what she saw made her laugh out loud—two stray kittens staring into the camera, seemingly waiting for an answer.

The video of this encounter posted on TikTok in July under the username mandapanda1017, quickly went viral, touching the hearts of countless viewers, and the sight of the kittens, with their innocent faces and hopeful eyes, struck a chord.

Amanda was asked to post an update video, which led to something unexpected, an outpouring of support from strangers wanting to help her care for these stray animals.

Each year, about 6.3 million pets enter U.S. shelters, according to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA). This averages out to 17,260 pets every day. In January 2023 alone, 46,807 dogs and cats were taken in by shelters, a rise from the previous year as reported by the 24Pet "Shelter Watch Report."

Sadly, approximately 920,000 surrendered animals are euthanized annually. Shelters across the country are working hard to lower these numbers through various initiatives, including adoption campaigns, spaying and neutering programs, and behavioral rehabilitation.

Moved by Amanda's dedication, people began sending supplies through an Amazon wishlist she created. "The very next day I had cat food arriving at my door. Crying happy tears, I felt very overwhelmed and so much love from strangers on the internet who wanted to help me take care of them," Amanda recounted.

This overwhelming response underscores the power of community support in addressing pet abandonment. The Humane Society of Macomb notes that many people surrender their pets due to financial hardships, housing issues, or behavioral problems. Amanda's experience demonstrates how collective effort and compassion can make a significant difference.

Amanda continues to express her gratitude for the help she has received, which has allowed her to expand her efforts in caring for these animals. "This has been quite a journey since I posted that video. We feel very, very blessed. The more help I can get for these sweet babies, the more I can do for them," she said.

The video quickly went viral on social media, getting viewers from across TikTok. It has so far received over 830,100 views and 163,200 likes on the platform.

One user, Whiskers, commented: "I'm buying 10 of whatever they're selling—just take my wallet."

Skylar said: "How do these cats learn about the doorbell? I saw another video of them doing this. So smart."

Three_Ragdolls added: "Cat Distribution Center Door Dashing kittens now?"

Do you have funny and adorable videos or pictures of your pet you want to share? Send them to life@newsweek.com with some details about your best friend and they could appear in our Pet of the Week lineup.