The cottage filled with the scent of raw meat after Elise noticed Shadow ignored kibble. Chicken pieces vanished instantly, bones cracked by jaws too powerful for a kitten. At night, she heard restless pacing, heavy footfalls circling her bedroom. Shadow’s hunger seemed boundless, insatiable, a need no household could satisfy.
One afternoon, a neighbor’s dog barked at Elise’s porch. Shadow crouched low, ears flattened, issuing a growl deeper than Elise thought possible. The dog whimpered and retreated. Her neighbor laughed it off—“Feisty kitty.” Elise forced a smile, but her chest tightened. She knew Shadow was more predator than pet.