SAN DIEGO, CA — A routine Monday morning Zoom meeting took an unexpected turn when local accountant Greg Watson, 32, accidentally appeared as his cat for the entire 45-minute call—completely unaware of the issue.

Watson, who had been experimenting with Zoom filters over the weekend, failed to realize he had left one active. When he logged into the company-wide meeting, his coworkers were not greeted by his usual, serious demeanor, but instead by a large, gray tabby cat with a very human voice.

“I thought everyone was laughing because of a joke someone made,” Watson later admitted. “I was just sitting there, nodding along, thinking, ‘Wow, what a fun group today.’”

The Cat Who Crunches Numbers

The situation escalated when Watson, who was leading part of the meeting, began discussing financial reports—all while appearing as a slightly concerned-looking cat.

“He was just going on about Q2 revenue projections while this fluffy tabby moved its little mouth,” said coworker Jessica Lee. “It was the most captivating financial report I’ve ever heard.”

Multiple colleagues attempted to point out the filter, but Watson, who had his chat notifications muted, was completely oblivious.

“Someone literally said, ‘Hey Greg, you know you’re a cat, right?’ and he just smiled and kept talking,” said IT manager Luis Rivera. “At that point, we just let it happen.”

Corporate Chaos Ensues

Despite the absurdity of the situation, the meeting proceeded normally, with employees struggling to hold back laughter as Watson, still appearing as a very serious cat, analyzed spreadsheets and discussed budget allocations.

“The best part was when he said, ‘Let’s circle back on this next week,’ and then licked his paw,” said coworker Brian Torres. “I lost it.”

By the time Watson finally realized the issue—approximately two minutes before the meeting ended—it was too late.

“I saw my own reflection in the little Zoom window and just froze,” Watson admitted. “Then I tried to fix it but accidentally turned myself into a pirate cat with an eye patch, which made everything worse.”

Internet Fame and Unwanted Nicknames

Following the meeting, a screenshot of “Cat Greg” quickly made its way through the company Slack channels, earning Watson instant office legend status.

“It’s been three days, and people still meow when I walk past,” he said. “I’ve received at least five calendar invites labeled ‘Cat Finance Review.’”

His boss, however, was surprisingly amused. “Honestly, that was the most engagement we’ve had in a Monday meeting in years,” said department head Karen Walters. “I might start making filters mandatory.”

As for Watson, he’s accepted his new reputation but insists he’ll be double-checking his Zoom settings from now on.

“Lesson learned,” he said. “But if I ever get promoted, I fully expect my nameplate to say ‘Greg Watson, CPA (Certified Professional Animal).’”