(NEXSTAR) – “I’m here live, I’m not a cat!” says Texas attorney Rod Ponton in a now-viral video of Zoom court proceedings.
The trouble is, Ponton looked very much like a cat — a big-eyed kitten to be exact.
Ponton, who is employed by Big Bend Law in Alpine, Texas, went viral Tuesday morning after a video of the 394th District Court of Texas proceedings was shared to social media.
Ponton mistakenly had a kitten Zoom filter on at the start of the hearing and didn’t know how to turn it off.
“Mr. Ponton,” a voice on the video says, “I believe you have a filter turned on in the video settings.”
“Can you hear me judge?” Ponton replies.
“I can hear you, I think it’s a filter.”
“I don’t know to remove it,” Ponton says. “… I’m prepared to go forward with it.”
He then uttered the now-iconic line: “I’m here live, I’m not a cat!”
“I can see that,” a voice responds.
Ponton did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Judge Roy Ferguson, who presided over the hearing, shared the video to Twitter.
“IMPORTANT ZOOM TIP: If a child used your computer, before you join a virtual hearing check the Zoom Video Options to be sure filters are off,” he wrote on Twitter. “This kitten just made a formal announcement on a case in the 394th (sound on).”
“These fun moments are a by-product of the legal profession’s dedication to ensuring that the justice system continues to function in these tough times,” Ferguson continued. “Everyone involved handled it with dignity, and the filtered lawyer showed incredible grace. True professionalism all around!”