How to Know If the Shelter Cat Is Choosing You

 

Cats aren’t just passive pets they’re intuitive beings who seek out energy, safety, and connection. Whether they’re visiting your yard or sitting in a shelter cage, cats often choose their people long before the paperwork is signed.

This article explores how to recognize the signs of feline bonding, especially during shelter visits and trial adoptions.

 Cats Know Where They’re Welcome

In my own yard, cats come and go freely. Feral, stray, and neighbor cats drink from my pond, nap in the clover, and lounge on the patio furniture. They don’t visit my neighbor’s yard even though it looks similar because they sense the energy. My neighbor doesn’t like cats. And cats know.

Cats are social animals, but they’re also selective. They gravitate toward places and people who feel safe. That’s true in neighborhoods and it’s true in shelters.

 Shelter Visits: Let the Cat Choose You

If you’re visiting a shelter, don’t rush to pick the prettiest cat or the one with the fanciest breed label. Instead: Sit quietly near the enclosure Let the cat observe you Watch for signs of curiosity or comfort See who approaches you first Cats that choose their people will: Make eye contact Rub against the cage or reach a paw toward you Sit calmly near you instead of hiding Show relaxed body language (tail down, ears forward) These are signs of trust. And trust is the foundation of a lasting bond.

Trial Adoptions: Let the Bond Build Naturally

When I’ve placed rescue kittens, I always tell adopters: “Sit back and let the kitten come to you.” the kitten that approaches, sniffs, and shows affection is the one that’s chosen you.  These unions are strong. None of those kittens were ever returned.

 When Cats Choose to Stay

Over the years, two neighborhood cats decided that their visits would be permanent. Both came from a troubled home. They arrived with bite wounds and trauma—but they found peace in my garden. One day, they curled up beside me on the bench while I read. That was their way of saying, “You’re my person now.”

Eventually, I offered food, water, and shelter. But only after they made the first move.

 Signs a Cat Is Bonding With You

Whether in a shelter, a foster home, or your backyard, look for these signs:

Follows you from room to room

Sleeps near you or on your belongings

Slow blinks and relaxed posture

Head butts, cheek rubs, or gentle paw taps

Comes when called or responds to your voice

These aren’t just behaviors they’re invitations.

🐾 Final Thought: Let the Cat Lead

Adoption isn’t just about choosing a cat. It’s about being chosen.
Let the cat guide the bond. Let the energy speak. And when the moment feels right when the cat curls up beside you or reaches out with a paw you’ll know. You’ve been chosen.

Moved Shelter Cats to Warmer Location

The two neighborhood stray cats that have been hanging out in my yard all summer have entered my shed and are using it as a shelter from the cold. The shed has heat lamps and a space heater and it provides the cats with a windbreak, protection from the rain and snow but it is not insulated and is cold.

 Last night we used a space heater and heat lamps and the shed was 56 degrees. The cats had cozy self-warming beds but with tonight's low in the single digits, we decided to move the shelter cats to a warmer location.

cat tree

It is not a good idea to leave a space heater unattended so I stayed awake last night to check on the unit hourly. I did not get any sleep so my husband and I decided to move the shelter cats to our attached sun porch.

The sun porch is insulated but has no heat. It also has an exterior door that leads to our fenced in patio and dogs kennel. The sun porch is primarily all windows and this room is quite enjoyable during the daylight hours. The sun from the south keeps the room warm and cozy but at night it does feel chilly to cold.

We like that the stray cats can go outdoors during the day and come into the sun porch at night. Overall by allowing the stray cats access to this room we will save on energy because we will not have to use the space heater during the day and I will not need to check on the heater all night long because the room is insulated and we will not have to set the heat thermostat at a high setting.

Another benefit to moving the cats to this warmer shelter is ease of access for my husband and I. We will not have to get dressed, put on rubber boots, coat, hat, and gloves to walk 150 feet to the shed. Now we can walk across the house and look in the glass panel on the door that is located at the entrance of the sun porch. It is a room that was added onto the house that is closed to us and our other cats by a door. An ideal shelter for stray cats during the cold winter months.

About the Cats

The stray cats have homes two blocks away but their people put them outdoors when they got kittens. The older cats did not get along with the younger cats and when the cats were not allowed to go back into their home the cats found their way to my yard.  The owner knows they are in my yard, know that we feed them and give them shelter.  The owner never came to get the cats.  So they are now neighborhood cats, they visit my yard and my neighbors yard, busy being social during the day but come to my shed for shelter at night.

Getting the Room Ready for the Cats

The only thing that we did was remove the drapes, and the furniture and replaced it with self-warming cat beds, cat toys, litter boxes, a cat tree and food and water bowls. We also added a Feliway Multi cat diffuser to the electrical outlet as this will help the cats to adjust to their new shelter without feeling stress.

garden shed for stray cats

* We would like to buy a window unit heater for our shed in the yard.  Because I think it is a better shelter for the neighborhood stray cats.  But in the meantime, the sun porch will have to do because it is too costly to run a space heater 24/7.