It’s 2:00 in the morning, and your cat has decided you should be awake. You get up and offer food, attention, play, or outdoor access because you are exhausted and want everyone to settle down again.

There is a phrase we hear all the time about senior cats: “They’re just getting old.” And becuase we know our cats are getting older, it’s easy to explain the change with their age. But age is not a diagnosis.

Bringing home a shelter cat can feel like the beginning of something wonderful. You’ve prepared the house. To you, this is home. To your cat, it isn’t. At least, not yet. You know they’re home. They don’t know that yet.