California Family Adopts Senior Cat Who Develops An Unexpected Quirk

From the moment Emily and her husband walked into the shelter, they believed they were the ones making the choice. But it quickly became clear the decision had already been made for them.

Ella, a senior cat, wasted no time in claiming her people. While other cats lounged in their enclosures, she locked eyes with Emily and marched straight over.

Without the slightest hesitation, she began licking Emily’s hand, as if to say the deal was sealed.

That was it. Emily didn’t even have to think twice. This cat had chosen her, and she was all in, as she shared in a YouTube video:

“When I first saw her, she came up to me and immediately began to lick me. I feel like I love this cat already.”

At ten years old, Ella wasn’t the youngest cat in the shelter, but there was something about her that stood out immediately.

The bond was instant — a spark Emily hadn’t felt on any of her past visits. It felt almost as if Ella had been waiting patiently for her all along.

What Emily couldn’t have guessed, though, was that she wasn’t just adopting a cat. She was about to welcome home a bona fide movie enthusiast with an undeniable love for film.

From the moment she settled in, it became clear that movie nights were no longer just for Emily and her husband. Ella was part of the tradition now – more than that, she demanded it.

When she wants to watch something, she makes it very clear, leading her humans to the couch with purpose. And once the movie starts, Ella isn’t just watching, she is involved.

From the flick of her tail in anticipation to the little meows that sound like running commentary, Ella always has something to say. Sitting in silence just isn’t her style — she wants interaction.

She’ll park herself right in front of the screen, eyes glued to the action, as if she’s critiquing every scene. And if the TV stays dark for too long, she’s quick to remind her humans that movie time isn’t optional — it’s scheduled programming, according to her.

Sometimes, she even wakes them up in the middle of the night, as if to say, “Okay, enough sleeping, it’s movie time!”

For Ella, movies aren’t just a fun way to pass the time – they’re a lifestyle, as Emily shared:

“Watching movies has definitely become part of our routine which I could say it’s not daily but it really is.”

Ella isn’t just a casual viewer — she has a movie taste all her own. Animated films captivate her the most, and at the very top of her list sits The Jungle Book.

But she doesn’t simply curl up and watch quietly. Ella throws herself right into the story.

The moment Bagheera and Mowgli appear on-screen, she’s up on her paws, pacing alongside the television as if she’s right there in the thick of the jungle, a member of their little crew on the adventure.

But if there’s one movie that Ella is absolutely obsessed with, it’s The Grinch – but only the Benedict Cumberbatch version.

Emily has put this to the test more than once. The Jim Carrey version? Nope. The classic animated one? Not a chance.

But when the 2018 Grinch comes on, Ella is glued to the screen. It’s the one movie that can instantly calm her down, no matter how sassy she’s feeling (which, according to Emily, is pretty often).

Emily joked about her cat’s unusual obsession online, sharing videos of her intense movie nights. Before long, Ella had an audience beyond the living room.

TikTok users couldn’t get enough of her reactions, her chatty commentary, and her absolute dedication to her favorite films.

Soon, Ella gathered a massive following, with hundreds of thousands of fans eager to see what she’d watch next.

For most pets, the TV is just background noise, something they barely notice. But for Ella, it’s a full-on experience, and she makes sure her humans are right there with her. Emily shared:

“Movies brought us closer together. I think it just has made her love on us more.”

One thing’s for sure: This kitty takes her films seriously, and she’s not about to miss a single scene!