North East, Maryland - Finnegan the cat hasn't had a lot of luck. He spent a year at a shelter before being adopted, but was then returned just six months later. The reason for his return left caregivers speechless.

The staff at the Chesapeake Feline Association, based in North East, Maryland, revealed Finnegan's sad story in a TikTok that broke users' hearts.

The friendly feline was dumped after scratching his new owners' carpets too much.

"Cats have a natural instinct to scratch, and they need to do it because it helps groom their nails," Jaclene Hjelle, one of the charity's treasurers, told Newsweek.

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The Chesapeake Feline Association tried its best to find a way for Finnegan to stay at his adoptive home. They gave advice on how to deal with the unwanted behavior and even offered to trim the cat's claws once a month for free.

It was all futile – "They just wanted him gone."

Shelter workers and TikTokers alike were upset that Finnegan got returned for acting like the animal he is.

"It's always heartbreaking when a cat is returned, but even more so when it's for something as superficial as this," Jaclene said.

"We love every cat at the shelter as our own, and I would give my right arm to save any of them."

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The shelter worker stressed that cats aren't as easy to keep as people tend to think.

"If they do not get the proper socialization, they will get bored, which can lead to behaviors such as scratching at carpet, furniture, etc.," she explained.

Finnegan is still waiting for a new forever home, and hopefully, his next owners will be more accepting of his nature and behavior.