Laughing Dog Arts

Saturday, February 27, 2010

Say Goodnight, Gracie

Gracie started her life in Utah. She showed up on my neighbor Gwen's porch in a snow storm, peering in the window, looking pathetic and starving. Gwen finally gave in and began feeding her. Eventually Gwen and her family moved next door to me and brought Gracie along, being the compassionate and responsible people that they are. Gracie took up residence in their barn, preferring as always to keep to herself rather than becoming a house cat. One day she came over here and discovered that I had cat food available to my cats in the laundry room. Since Gwen had gotten another cat, Gracie decided she would rather take her chances living here amongst my Pit Bulls and Rottweiler rather than get beat up by the new cat, a vicious black cat named Choo Choo Man. Can't help but be vicious with a name like that now can you? Gracie discovered that she could live in relative safety in the crawl space under my house. At this point, she had never been named, but was called the barn cat when she lived at Gwen's, and now became the basement cat. I considered calling her BC but that didn't seem any better than basement cat. Finally, after she had already been here for 6 or 7 years, I decided to call her Gracie. She mostly stayed hidden, but came out every day for me when I would feed her. She loved for me to pet her and brush her and hold her but even though I tried to get her to come into the house, she never let me carry her indoors. No one else ever saw her, she preferred to stay hidden away. Occasionally she would come out and sun herself just outside her escape hole. That is where she was when I took this photo. She never stopped purring when she was with me. I felt she was showing her appreciation that I allowed her to live her life as she wanted, in her solitary space. Gracie shared her life with me for 11 or more years, living there in the crawlspace. She stopped purring last night. I buried her right where she is in the photo. She was a sweetie.

Say Goodnight, Gracie.
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10 comments:

Marie S said...

Goodnight Gracie. What a beautiful cat!
Hugs to you Jan!

studio pashnada said...

my condolences. My son lost his cat Gracie last December - she was still young but had lived with us before the two of them flew the nest. I personally have always been a cat person and know that you must be very special indeed for Gracie to have chosen you.

Anonymous said...

I find loosing a pet nearly impossible to deal with because they are our companions or like our children. You gave Gracie a wonderful life & for that you are blessed..... Good Night Gracie & God Speed......
Love,
Marilyn
xxoo

Anne Huskey-Lockard said...

Oh Jan, I am so sorry, I knew Gracie was not well; but you have produced a beautiful tribute to her.
She was a libertine cat, who knew good people, yet kept her identity. She chose you.
You were fortunate to have her and share her life.
Goodnight sweet Gracie....may you roam where there are always interesting things to find in the celestial pet heaven.

XXOO!!
Anne

audrey said...

Oh, Jan, I am sorry that Gracie left you. It sounds like she had a good happy life and she knew that you loved her. A beautiful post about a special friend, indeed.
Goodnight Gracie. ♥

♥ audrey

Jan said...

Thank you all for your kind consoling words. She was a good kitty and I miss her already. You know how it is, it seems like she is there out of the corner of your eye and you think for just a fraction of an instant that "I must feed Gracie" but then you remember. It does make me feel a bit special that she chose me, and graced me with her sweet silent presence.

Martha Bright said...

I know exactly what you mean about seeing her out of the corner of your eye, Jan. She was one of the lucky ones, to find Gwen, and then you.

Mary Fox of Fox On The Run said...

Jan, I am so sorry to hear you have lost Gracie. I know you both had a special bond with each other. There are a lot of people who debate this, but I really feel animals will be in heaven with us, especially ones so special. My heart goes out to you today, dear friend.

April said...

Oh, Jan, I'm really sorry about your loss. I know how sweet your Gracie was for you. And I know how much you're gonna miss her. I'm so glad you have Charley kitty now to help ease your loss, though. Take care, my friend!

Jan said...

Mary and April, thanks for your kind comments. Yes, I am very thankful to have Charlie cat, he has been a blessing.