From a hospital bed on the second floor of the Veterans Administration Medical Center in Leeds, a hushed meow could be heard.
People were talking outside the room Madison, a sandy blonde cat, was sleeping within.
This bed and most others on the floor are where she and fellow feline Zoe enjoy taking naps and seeking attention from patients and staff.
The pair are therapy cats, offering comfort to veterans receiving long-term care at the hospital.
Madison and Zoe were adopted four years ago when the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs relaxed its stance on comfort animals.
Soon after hearing the news, officials at the Western Massachusetts hospital began researching their options.
"We've always felt in long-term care that animals of some kind can be relaxing, help put patients and visitors at ease," said Ellie Loncto, service line manager of the Geriatric & Extended Care wing.
On choosing a kind of animal, Loncto said, "I always lean towards something you can pet."
Prior to working at the VAMC, Loncto worked in a retirement home that had a comfort dog. "We had a resident with dementia. She didn't speak, wasn't active," Loncto said. "When I'd do rounds, the dog would follow and she'd reach out to pet the dog."
At the VAMC, staff have noticed quality of life improvements in some veterans, thanks to the cats.
When they walk into the room of one veteran, "His posture changes. He's relaxed," said Loncto. "He'll bend down and pet the cat."
In the days and weeks before a veteran passes, the cats are seen keeping them company, laying on the bed with veterans and rubbing against loved ones who come to visit.
After the death of a 102-year-old WWII veteran this year, one of cats remained in his room after he passed.
While federal veterans affairs officials now allow comfort animals to be involved in care, no budget is allotted for it.
The hospital pays for the cats' food, litter and other expenses through donations. When donated funds are low, staff make up the difference, said Dennis R. Ramstein, a public affairs and outreach coordinator.
A fundraising cruise night car show will be held on the medical center's grounds on Saturday, August 19 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Admission for car owners and spectators is free to all but a cash donation to support the therapy cats program at the medical center is appreciated.