Gracie and Denise Vasquez: Furry Friends Fur-Ever

“I saw a profile of Gracie, then named Zuppa, on the Furry Friends website and went to see her at the shelter,” Denise says.

“I chose her because she's independent and likes peace and quiet -- traits we share. We’re introverts, two peas in a pod. She was also a beautiful calico kitty, but that was secondary.

“Gracie was somewhat timid on the first day. I created a private space for her in the laundry room adjoining the hallway that looks into the living room. She lay down on the carpet to watch me from afar, and if I got up, she would run to her space. She never cowered in fear, though, and she would always come back to watch me again.

“She has filled a huge loneliness gap within me, given me purpose again and a little ball of joy to care for. We are truly BFF’s! While Gracie enjoys playing for a few minutes, she gets bored quickly -- not enough of a challenge. Her favorite form of entertainment: sitting on comfortable perches near every window and pretending to catch birds and squirrels. She never gets tired of that.

“While she’s not a cuddler, she likes having her neck and chin scratched, tolerates my petting to a point, and even accepts a little kiss on the head. But I know when enough is enough. Her tail tells it all! However, if SHE decides she wants to sit beside me on my oversized chair, that’s okay, I just can’t put her there. She’s recently let me put her in my lap for about a minute, then she’s off. Again, she’s just tolerating me even after being together for four months. 

“What makes me smile is the game we play during her energy spurts mornings and evenings. I say ‘I’m going to get you,’ her ears perk up, she stares at me intently, and the game begins! She runs off swiftly, peeling out on the laminate flooring turns, the front of her body crouched low and her tail high in the air. Then she flops down, chews on her toes a moment, rolls around on the carpet, and starts running all over again. It’s hilarious! That side of her personality is so very, very cute.

“At night, Gracie sleeps wherever she wants. Truly independent, she ‘stands guard’ at the windows ensuring that no wild animals get us. But her first night here, she found her way onto the foot of my bed and curled up to sleep. I loved that! Some nights, she sleeps awhile on her perch then jumps on my bed, meows softly in my face and, if she’s sleepy, cuddles up to me.

“Gracie’s background: She was 3 1/2 years old when I adopted her, weighed only 7.7 pounds, was rescued from the streets only 5 months before, and is missing a small chunk of one ear. Considering all she’s endured, it’s not surprising that she doesn’t like being held or confined. But she captured my heart, and I’ll do all I can to make the rest of her life one of peace, comfort and companionship. We were meant to be together! She knows that she’s safe, warm and well fed here fur-ever.” 
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Furry Friends Fur-Ever Stories are compiled and written by Nomi Berger who is the bestselling author of seven novels, one work of non-fiction, two volumes of poetry, and hundreds of articles. She is a volunteer writer for Furry Friends in Vancouver, WA and also volunteers her writing skills to animal rescue groups in Canada and the USA.