A devoted cat dad has revealed the sweet little ritual he uses to let his senior cat know he’s finally home for the day.
Joel, 49, from Canada, says he usually avoids waking 15-year-old Lily from her naps—but sometimes her reactions are just too cute to resist.
“Normally I don’t like to disturb her beauty rest,” Joel told Newsweek. “But her reactions were just so adorable that I couldn’t help myself.”
In a video shared on Reddit that has received more than 7,000 upvotes, Joel—who did not share his surname—records himself arriving home from work and quietly walking over to the window where Lily is sleeping. He gives the glass a gentle tap, and Lily wakes up with an excited, heartwarming response, clearly thrilled to see that her favorite human is back.
“She’s usually waiting for me just inside the front entrance, sitting on a little ottoman while watching the door,” he said. “She’s almost like a little puppy.”
Now firmly in her senior years, Lily has become something of a legend among Joel’s friends and family. Her mix of elegance and silliness has even inspired an ongoing joke: that she’s his “cat-wife.”
“I’m a single dad,” Joel explained. “So the joke is that Lily considers herself my cat-wife.”
Although cats are often stereotyped as aloof, research suggests many feel deeply connected to their humans. A 2019 study from Oregon State University looked at cats who were briefly separated from their owners and then reunited. The researchers found that most cats showed a secure attachment to their owners, similar to the way many dogs and even human infants bond with their caregivers.
Study co-author Kristyn Vitale noted: “We have this stereotype that cats don’t depend on their owners. But it makes sense [that they would], because they are still living in a state of dependency in human homes.”
Joel decided to post the clip on Reddit, confident that others would appreciate the tender moment as much as he does.
“I’ve shared pictures and videos of her in the past here and there on different subreddits like r/cats,” he said. “I guess it’s just kind of fun to see how other people react to seeing her because she has such a unique personality that I think brings a lot of joy into the world. She does for me at least.”
Viewers responded with affection and nostalgia, sharing how small rituals with their pets make everyday life feel special. One commenter wrote: “That’s the kind of ritual that makes a house a home.” Another added: “That’s such a cute way to greet Lily!”
Sweet human–cat reunions like Joel and Lily’s often capture hearts online. Last year, one cat who crosses the street each day just to greet her owner went viral after their daily routine was shared widely. In another popular clip, a 5-month-old kitten named Pudding became an internet favorite for her enthusiastic welcomes—she’s so happy when her owner walks through the door that she immediately leaps onto their shoulders.
