A West Texas judge has a word of caution to those attending court hearings via Zoom: Always check for filters before logging on.

Judge Roy Ferguson’s warning came after lawyer Rod Ponton accidentally joined a video court hearing while using a Zoom filter that made him appear like a fluffy white kitten.

“I’m here live. I’m not a cat,” Mr Ponton said.

“I can see that,” replied Judge Ferguson, whose district covers five counties in West Texas.

The short video clip, which was shared online by Judge Ferguson, ends with others coaching Mr Ponton on how to remove the cat filter.

Tweet from @JudgeFergusonTX

“This kitten just made a formal announcement on a case in the 394th,” the judge wrote on Twitter.

“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. Everyone involved handled it with dignity, and the filtered lawyer showed incredible grace. True professionalism all around!”

A re-post of the video to Twitter now has more than six million views.

In an interview, Mr Ponton said he had fielded calls from around the world and had been booked for national television.

“I always wanted to be famous for being a great lawyer. Now I’m famous for appearing in court as a cat,” he told the Associated Press.