Man Built A Cat Cam To Track His Pet, What It Captured Is Pure Gold

Meet Gonzo, a sweet and social tabby cat with a heart of gold—and a love for trash. Adopted as a kitten by documentary filmmaker Derek Boonstra and his wife Maria in 2016, Gonzo has always been unusually friendly, human-oriented, and full of personality. But when he started bringing home bizarre little “gifts” from his outdoor adventures, the couple decided to find out what was really going on.

So Derek did what any filmmaker with a curious cat would do—he built a tiny spy camera and attached it to Gonzo’s collar. What they discovered was a surprising, hilarious, and sometimes heartbreaking look into Gonzo’s secret life.

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This is Gonzo—a sweet, curious cat with a surprising hobby: bringing home trash

Tabby cat named Gonzo lying on a dark blue blanket, known as the romantic trash-collecting cat winning hearts worldwide.

Image credits: gonzoisacat

He shares his life with his humans, Derek and Maria, his cat sister Fish, and his dog brother Chico

Two cats lying close together on a bed, featuring Gonzo the romantic trash-collecting cat winning hearts worldwide.

Image credits: gonzoisacat

Tabby cat lying on wooden floor next to small black and white dog showing the romantic trash-collecting cat Gonzo.

Image credits: gonzoisacat

Two cats on wooden shelves in a sunlit room, featuring the romantic trash-collecting cat Gonzo winning hearts worldwide.

Image credits: gonzoisacat

When Gonzo showed signs of being street-smart and car-aware, Derek and Maria began letting him explore their apartment complex—first supervised, then on his own

Tabby cat sitting outdoors near garden plants, representing Gonzo the romantic trash-collecting cat winning hearts worldwide.

Image credits: gonzoisacat

Still, Derek wanted to know more: how far did Gonzo wander? Was he safe? And was he really that into trash? So, he strapped a tiny camera to Gonzo’s collar

Tabby cat named Gonzo wearing a small camera on purple collar, known as the romantic trash-collecting cat winning hearts worldwide.

Image credits: gonzoisacat

What the footage revealed was part nature doc, part rom-com, part trash collector’s vlog

Tabby cat named Gonzo wearing a collar, walking confidently outdoors as a romantic trash-collecting cat.

Image credits: gonzoisacat

Gonzo, it turned out, loved bringing “gifts” home—plastic lids, wrappers, anything he could carry

Tabby cat named Gonzo sitting on tiled floor next to a small dog, near a hand holding a plastic lid.

Image credits: gonzoisacat

One day alone, he brought back 10 items. A record

Hand holding a circular piece of trash collected by Gonzo, the romantic trash-collecting cat winning hearts worldwide.

Image credits: gonzoisacat

Hand holding a piece of trash collected by Gonzo, the romantic trash-collecting cat winning hearts worldwide.

Image credits: gonzoisacat

But the gifts weren’t random. There was a reason behind them too

Tabby cat sitting on wooden floor near collected trash and scattered papers, showcasing romantic trash-collecting cat behavior.

Image credits: gonzoisacat

Gonzo was in love—with Simone, a no-nonsense, street-savvy cat from the complex

He once offered her a plastic bag he found under a house. But Simone had already left. Gonzo meowed after her

Tabby cat named Gonzo playing with a plastic wrapper, known as the romantic trash-collecting cat winning hearts worldwide.

Image credits: gonzoisacat

Sadly, Simone wasn’t swayed by his trashy gestures. She was older. Wiser. Unimpressed

Tabby cat Gonzo lying on a carpet, playing with a green spool, known as the romantic trash-collecting cat.

Image credits: gonzoisacat

Yet Gonzo wasn’t just a hopeless romantic—he was also surprisingly gentle with wildlife

Tabby cat resting beside a colorful pot with cacti, representing Gonzo the romantic trash-collecting cat warming hearts worldwide.

Image credits: gonzoisacat

The collar cam showed him calmly approaching baby opossums. Derek and Maria braced for disaster—but Gonzo simply sat and hung out

His charming adventures became so captivating that in 2019, Derek started documenting them—and even shared how others could build their own cat cam

Tabby cat with large eyes lying on wooden floor, known as the romantic trash-collecting cat winning hearts worldwide.

Image credits: gonzoisacat

Over time, Gonzo has brought home hundreds of “gifts”—each one a tiny token of affection

Tabby cat named Gonzo looking up at a hand holding a plastic bag, the romantic trash-collecting cat in action.

Image credits: gonzoisacat

Tabby cat Gonzo resting inside an open cardboard box with packing foam on a wooden floor in a cozy room.

Image credits: gonzoisacat

Now living in a house with a backyard, Gonzo and Fish still explore daily—within a safe, enclosed perimeter

Two cats lying on a bed surrounded by clothes, showcasing the romantic trash-collecting cat winning hearts worldwide.

Image credits: gonzoisacat

“We don’t necessarily recommend that everyone do this with their cats,” Derek says. “Gonzo has never minded wearing the camera, but he’s also an abnormally large and chill cat”

Gonzo the romantic trash-collecting cat relaxing on a sofa bathed in sunlight near a large indoor plant.

Image credits: gonzoisacat

Gonzo may never win Simone’s heart, but he’s definitely won ours

Tabby cat Gonzo resting on a patterned ironing board inside a home, showing the romantic trash-collecting cat personality.

Image credits: gonzoisacat

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