We all know what we can find when we visit Home Depot.

From light bulbs to paint, power tools to plants, everything you need for your home is right at your fingertips.

But for one store in New Jersey, there is one more thing it has that stands out – Leo, the cat.

And there is one specific rule – “Please do not take Leo’s shirt off.”

The store in Mount Laurel, N.J., has become a viral hit on TikTok, partly due to its hilarious rule to keep their cat clothed, and because of the loveable cat himself.

A sign reminds customers not to undress Leo while he enjoys one his favorite napping spots. Photo by Simpkins

“People kept taking Leo’s shirts off because they thought he was hot,” said customer Jeff Simpkins, with a grin.

Employees, Simpkins said, told him that the cat was adopted from a local animal shelter to help keep rodents at bay. 

Workers take turns cleaning Leo’s litter box, feeding him and changing his T-shirts, Simpkins said.

I learned that he lived there year-round, and they didn’t close the store until they could find Leo and put him in the climate-controlled garden center for the night,” he said.

Simpkins first met Leo during the summer, after stumbling across a used litter box.

“I thought he was a pretty cool, plump-looking cat. He was also very friendly,” Simpkins said. “I’ve always been a cat guy, and I wondered if there was something I could do for him.”

Simpkins, who works as a floor installer, began visiting Leo multiple times a week. One time, he brought along his own cat, Will. He made a video and uploaded it to TikTok. It instantly went viral, getting more than 1.5 million views and some very jealous commenters.

“I’m complaining to my local Home Depot, we don’t have a Leo,” one follower said.

A star was born.

“People loved Leo, so I decided to keep going to the store to shoot videos,” he said.

He posted videos of Leo greeting customers, getting his shirt changed, taking naps and climbing up on high shelves. Simpkins has had more than 35 million views in total on these videos.

“A lot of people who live around here tell me they started coming in to visit Leo after they saw one of the videos,” Simpkins said.

@cat_dad_2020 Leo’s nightly routine 🐱@The Home Depot #catdad2020 #catsoftiktok #homedepot ♬ original sound – 🐱❤️Jeff (cat_dad_2020)❤️

New visitors to the store bring him treats, but Simpkins said there is one thing he loves best – eating the mice he catches.

“He loves that, but he also likes mice,” he said. “When I was here the other day, I was told he ate an entire small mouse.”

The company has said that Leo is a welcome addition to the store.

“I can tell you that our store was proud to have adopted Leo, and we’re thrilled that Leo loves taking care of our people as much as we love taking care of him,” Home Depot corporate communications manager Terrance Roper said.

Here’s to hoping more Home Depots add a Leo to their store, too.

For a glimpse of the sassy mouser, watch below.

Sources: Washington Post | ABC7