A lonely cat, abandoned in an apartment building in New York City, has been relying on the goodwill of the residents ever since her owners went out. Her owners abandoned her in 1997, the superintendent claims, which was 20 years ago.

The senior cat has spent two decades living alone in the basement of the building without any access to sunlight or fresh air.

Earlier this year, Anita Diamantopoulou, a video editor here at The Dodo, moved into the apartment building and learned about the cat in the basement.

Diamantopoulou said, “I would go and feed her and pet her.” She is quite amiable and enjoys head massages.

Diamantopoulou was adamant about getting the cat, whom she refers to as Granny, out of the structure. She brought Granny to the vet, who gave her shots and performed blood work.

Granny is quite underweight. Her teeth are mostly absent as well. Still, she enjoys eating, drinking water, and getting her face massaged. She is quite loving despite being abandoned twenty years ago. This adorable kitten has no intention of returning to the cellar.

But because Diamantopoulou already has a cat, she was unable to get another one. She therefore toiled to come up with a fix for Granny.

Fortunately, a friend volunteered to foster Granny and, if everything goes well, maybe adopt her. In light of this, Diamantopoulou brought Granny home over the weekend, perhaps the cat’s first home in 20 years.

Granny exited her cat carrier cautiously and looked around. The sunlight seemed a little jarring for her, considering the darkness she was accustomed to.

“The first day she stayed in the bathroom where it is dark and cooler,” Diamantopoulou said. “I guess the sun bothers her since she hasn’t been out since forever.”

However, Diamantopoulou made an effort to help Granny feel secure and at home in this new environment. “I used baby wipes to clean her,” Diamantopoulou added. “And I gave her food and gave her my attention.”

The next day, Diamantopoulou went back to check on Granny to see how she was coping; it appeared that she was already beginning to feel more at home. “She was waiting for me outside the restroom when I discovered her,” Diamantopoulou claimed.

Nothing can erase all the years Granny spent alone in the dark, but her life is already looking so much brighter.