From footballs to felines. How a former NC State player became ‘The Cat Dad of TikTok’
Social media provides sports fans an opportunity to connect with their favorite current and former athletes, but one N.C. State alumnus created a somewhat unexpected and unusual following.
Deylan Buntyn, known as “The Cat Dad of TikTok,” played defensive tackle for the Wolfpack in 2012 and 2013. Nearly a decade later, he became a viral sensation in 2020 after posting funny clips of his cats, Forest and Rivers, on the video sharing app. The Wolfpack alumnus since added a third cat, Willow, to his family.
“I just did it because I was bored,” Buntyn said, noting all he could do was work. “It was a joke. A straight joke.”
He didn’t think anyone would see or care about the videos. They were just of him being silly with his cats. Then, the videos started gaining attention from adult viewers in the same situation: In quarantine with nothing else to do but scroll.
At the beginning of the social media journey, Buntyn filmed anywhere from five to 10 videos per day. He, and the cats, amassed 1.9 million followers and more than 155 million views.
The quartet found success on Instagram, as well, where they share videos to more 387,000 followers. Multiple posts garnered more than two million views.
Three different types of videos seem to get the most traction: reactions, photo crop and cat dad responses.
Reaction videos feature different, often weird, awkward or mildly inappropriate, clips from social media before cutting to Buntyn and Forest with shocked expressions. Crop videos feature a moving rectangle that the user follows to capture still photos. Lastly, Buntyn likes to use humorous audio to create videos defending cats and men who own them. Though some of his posts tease dog owners, Buntyn said he likes dogs but finds cat caregiving easier.
“There needs to be more positive things that make people laugh, brighten their day,” Buntyn said. “That’s what I like to do and that’s what I’m going to keep on doing. I just want to make a difference in someone’s life.”
Buntyn works with former Arkansas and Wolfpack quarterback Brandon Mitchell, providing social media marketing services for mental health care facilities. He studied parks, recreation and tourism at N.C. State and previously worked in the field for municipalities in North Carolina and Virginia.
Despite having a day job, Buntyn monetized his social media accounts and turned them into a second income. It took about a year before partnerships began rolling in, but now he works with companies to test and market products.
His most iconic partnership is with PW Union, a custom apparel company that outfitted him with hoodies featuring his cats’ faces printed on the fabric. Buntyn thought he might make a handful of videos and move on.
It became a signature style, replacing his often worn Wolfpack gear.
“When this hoodie came out, a river of ideas — a steady stream of ideas — kept coming and coming and coming,” Buntyn said. “That hoodie blew up. I’m pretty sure I made them hundreds of thousands of dollars. But, that hoodie is one of the greatest things I’ve ever received. One, it’s comfortable. Two, my cats like it. Three, it’s who I am nowadays. I love it. I wish I had 50 more.”
Buntyn grew up in Havelock and received attention from top schools across the country as a high school recruit, but his grades weren’t where they needed to be. He attended Winston-Salem State University, a Division II program, but struggled academically. He found himself at the New Mexico Military Institute.
After two years on the junior college level and getting his academics sorted, Tom O’Brien recruited Buntyn to return home. He played 14 games for N.C. State, including all 12 in Dave Doeren’s first season as head coach.
Most of Buntyn’s favorite memories and greatest lessons came from playing football. He learned time management, discipline, and strengthened his interpersonal skills. He spent time in the NFL after signing an undrafted rookie contract in 2014.
He recently moved to Texas for his new job with Mitchell but will return to more consistent videos once fully settled. Buntyn and his three cats can be found on TikTok (@deylanbuntyn) or Instagram (@76dmb76).
The News & Observer’s Inside Look takes readers behind the scenes to illuminate the people and places in our community.
