Cat Behavior Problems (Gracie's Story)

Cat Behavior Problems usually fall into two categories. There are good or creative Cat Behavior Problems and there are destructive Cat Behavior Problems. This is a true story about a smallish 8 year old tuxedo gal named Gracie who I believe has ESP (the feline version) and exhibits mostly creative Cat Behavior Problems.

One cold winter day an animal rescue friend of mine named Betty had just completed loading her car with seven stray kittens who were abandoned next to a home. Out of the blue, this young black and white female cat jumped into Betty's car. She drove home without being aware of her extra passenger. When she arrived at home, Betty carried several cat carriers with the kittens into her home followed closely behind by Gracie. When Betty spotted her she was amazed at Gracie's survival instinct. Because Gracie exhibited such intelligence she decided to keep her temporarily. I had just lost a tuxedo named Mickey and Betty suggested that I take Gracie. She could not keep her because she already had 20 borders and couldn't afford to take another one. I welcomed Gracie into my home.

Ever since that cold winter day I have rescued many strays and Gracie has always welcomed them into my home by giving them a tongue bath. Gracie is the most intelligent cat I have ever owned. I believe that she has ESP because of her empathic ability. Whenever there is a person or animal in pain Gracie will get excited and try to heal the pain with her tongue. She is almost like the TV classic dog "Lassie".

If I have a headache or toothache, even if I don't make a sound Gracie will know something is wrong and starts licking me, like a dog. One day my neigbors dog "Happy" was left outside in the rain. "Happy" was uncomfortable and started to whimper. I couldn't hear this, but Gracie kept running back and forth excitedly between both of my bedroom windows and onto my lap. I went to the window and spotted "Happy". My neighbor had forgotten about him and was so embarassed he gave Gracie a treat.

When the weather is nice Gracie enjoys lounging outside in the sun. One such sunny day she spotted several kittens trapped in a sewage pipe near my home. She scratched on the back door repeatedly to get my attention. When I followed her outside, she dashed to the sewage pipe several hundred feet from my home and I could only see her tail sticking out. I spotted four tiny kittens that were several weeks old probably abandoned by their mother in the pipe. I brought them home. They were dirty and hungry but they were all OK. They have since been placed in good homes.

Shortly after taking in Gracie, I rescued a small gray and white patched cat that I named "Patches" He and Gracie are close buddies and they take turns social grooming each other. Gracie likes to survey her surroundings by jumping to the top of the kitchen cabinets or to the top of swinging doors. Patches does not possess any great leaping ability because of his short stubby legs, so Gracie minimizes the time she spends at high altitudes to spend more time with him.

Gracie exhibits the creative form of Cat Behavior Problems and I wouldn't trade her for any cat in the world!