'I am not a cat': Lawyer shows up as kitty during Zoom court hearing

Rod Ponton, a Texas lawyer, did not expect to be appearing as a cat during virtual proceedings on Zoom on Tuesday. 

However, a 'cat' filter, which accidentally opened, ensured that Ponton appeared before 394th Judicial District Court as a blue-eyed cat. 

"Mr Ponton, I believe you have the filter turned on in the video settings," Judge Roy Ferguson during the proceedings. 

"I'm here live, I'm not a cat," the lawyer said.

Watch | Mexican politician caught on camera after she attempts fleeing Zoom meet by placing photograph

"I can see that," the judge responded.

Ponton said that his assistant was trying to fix the settings. 

The video immediately went viral on social media, and the judge in a hilarious reply said: "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."

"These fun moments are a byproduct of the legal profession's dedication to ensuring that the justice system continues to function in these tough times. Everyone involved handled it with dignity, and the filtered lawyer showed incredible grace. True professionalism all around."

The 69-year-old lawyer told news agency Reuters that he doesn't know how the filter showed up during the hearing. 

"I logged into my secretary's computer to appear at this hearing via Zoom, and when everybody's ready the judge calls the case and everybody's face is supposed to pop up on Zoom," he said.

"And everybody's face popped up except mine. Mine was a cat."