Namtarn's first month in our Silom condo

Namtarn came home to us a month ago, and I'm still learning how to be a good cat dad. She's three, an Exotic Shorthair with a flat, squishy face and round copper eyes. She had been waiting at a rescue shelter for almost a year. The first week she hid behind the washing machine and only came out for food at 3 a.m., when she thought I was asleep.

Week two was better. She discovered the windowsill that looks out over the BTS tracks, and now she spends most evenings there watching the trains like it's a live show. I bought her a tall scratching post, but she prefers the corner of the sofa, so I've stopped fighting it.

The big moment came last Thursday, when she climbed onto my lap during a movie and purred so loudly I could barely hear the dialogue. I didn't move for two hours.

If you're thinking about adopting, give the cat one quiet room to start, don't force cuddles, and expect the first few weeks to be strange for both of you. Namtarn is worth every awkward night.