Gracie Has Left Us

[silverscreenselect]

Mrs. SSS and our daughter just took our cat Gracie to the vet for the last time. When I appeared on the TV show, we had a dog and two cats that were all getting older and died within a few months of each other. After that, Mrs. SSS said she didn't want any more pets. But then one day, Gracie showed up literally at our front door and Mrs. SSS fell in love. We live in an interior apartment unit so there's no way a stray cat could come to the door without someone opening the outside door and letting it in, so we think that someone left the cat intentionally (she was about two years old at the time and had been fixed). We did try for a couple of days to find an owner in our complex but without any luck.

Gracie was quite frisky in her younger days, liking to play "catch" with us. We would wad up a piece of paper into a ball and throw it, she would chase it, bat it around a while then bring it back. At times, when she wanted to play, she'd find one of those wadded up balls in some corner and bring it in herself. Later, she got quieter but would sleep with Mrs. SSS almost every night. Even Friday, when we got out early for a snow day and I took a nap, she snuggled up with me. Then, Saturday, she had some sort of seizure and then a worse one a couple of hours later and didn't move much after that. We got her some food and water but we knew it was the end and Mrs. SSS took her in this morning.

So, there's some company at the Rainbow Bridge today.

[Vandal]

Say goodnight, Gracie.

[K.P.]

Sorry to hear it, SSS.

[MissDenise]

I have it on the best authority - eyelid messages never lie - Norman and Annie Camaro and Bruce the Wonder Cat and all of the Bored four-footers were there waiting for her.

[silverscreenselect]

Say goodnight, Gracie.

That's actually how Gracie got her name. When my mother was growing up, she had a cat named Gracie, but we never had any pets in our house when I was young. Late in her life, when my mother came to visit us, she would sometimes get confused and call one of our cats Gracie (and she told us stories about her Gracie). So, when we got the new cat not too long after my mother died, we both agreed to name her Gracie as a remembrance of my mother.

[a1mamacat]

So sorry to hear, but sounds like you and Mrs. SSS gave her a wonderful home, after she was abandoned.

Rest in Catnip Gracie.

[BackInTex]

Sorry to hear this. I know it is hard putting an animal down. I've done it 3 time in the past few years. It doesn't get easier. My wife will never be able to do it. It will always be my job.

[ghostjmf]

So sorry to hear, SSS & Mrs. SSS.

[T_Bone0806]

Always hard to say goodbye to a beloved four footed family member. Mine are getting up there in years (12 and 14 this year) and I don't want to think of the inevitable. The youngest one especially, since she is Daddy's Girl...my shadow. She sleeps with me every night and in the late afternoon when I lie down for awhile to relieve pressure on the butt from sitting in my chair all day. If I am the slightest bit late she makes sure I know about it. She also keeps a watchful eye on my wife whenever there is any sort of medical type maintenance to be done, as well as "helping" to put me to bed. We call her the supervisor.

Oh, and she also likes to play fetch, but with a string. She will jump up and drop it in my lap, then jump down, expecting me to dangle it so she can bat at it for awhile, then I must throw it for her to run after, bringing it back to me for the process to begin anew.

Your Gracie stories reminded me of my Freya. I hope Gracie has plenty of wadded up balls of paper across the Rainbow Bridge to keep her occupied.

[Beebs52]

Hugs, sss. It breaks your heart I know. She has lotsa buds up there.

[mellytu74]

sss -

how are you both doing?

[silverscreenselect]

sss -

how are you both doing?

We're okay. Mrs. SSS had a bad day Monday, but our daughter went with her to the vet and drove so she could hold Gracie in her lap on the way. We have another younger cat who realizes Gracie isn't here and spent a bit of yesterday and today trying to figure out where she might be.

[gsabc]

My condolences, SSS. It's never easy saying goodbye to pets, who are really just four-legged children covered in fur. Gracie knew she was loved. That's all that counts.

Nearly had to say goodbye to one of ours over New Year's Day. Short version is that he was diagnosed with pancreatitis with associated liver enzymes "setting the record for the year", to quote one of the vet techs. Got him to a veterinary ER hospital and fortunately they got him through it. We caught it early enough.

We need to look into pet health insurance for any new adoptees, though. If you ever want to find out what your medical costs would be without insurance, getting emergency care for a sick housepet is a good approximation when you factor in weight and average longevity.

[SportsFan68]

Adding my condolences to all y'all's, and seconding GS's recommendation to check out pet insurance. Annie's bad accident cost us about $5,000, which we had, but what if we hadn't?

[ghostjmf]

When I last checked out pet insurance, about 14 years ago, it was kinda like human insurance before (ta-da) Obamacare; important stuff that wasn't covered. If you get it, check all that out 1st, & whether your preferred emergency pet hospital accepts it.

[Estonut]

When I last checked out pet insurance, about 14 years ago, it was kinda like human insurance before (ta-da) Obamacare; important stuff that wasn't covered. If you get it, check all that out 1st, & whether your preferred emergency pet hospital accepts it.

Better yet, see if your preferred emergency pet hospital can recommend a good insurance company/plan.