fantasy ya-ish book about telepathic animals

Hi, I remember reading a book a long long time ago where the main character could communicate with animals 'telepathically' by feeling them via strings. She might have been a shapeshifter but I don't fully remember. I think the cover had a green cat's eye on it, and I distinctly remember a scene where the characters had to go underground and there was a council of (blind?) rats whose tails were tied together and they were communicating telepathically.

I know this sounds like a fever dream lol but please help if you recognize it!

The telepathic communication via strings/shapeshifting reminds me of Wild Magic by Tamora Pierce, but the underground rat king reminds me of The Amazing Maurice and His Educated Rodents (and I think there's some telepathy in there too).

>2 curioussquared: It's definitely not Wild Magic, and I think it was primarily about cats/lions as I remember she could communicate with her "pride." It was set in modern times. Thank you so much for the suggestions though!

This one is a shot in the dark as I haven't read it, but maybe Obernewtyn? Green cat eye on one cover, and she can communicate telepathically with the cat.

I have read Obernewtyn multiple times. No shapeshifting, nor blind rats. Nor "strings".

What does a long, long time ago mean?
What year did you read it?

Or when do you think it might have been written?

Forgotten Beasts of Eld by Patricia McKillip?