A Foster Mom's Story

The Patience of Grace

Surfcatcafe Rescue (Leslie) reached out back in 2018.  There was a kitty, Gracie, that the animal shelter was going to euthanize. Gracie was deemed cage aggressive. I agreed to accept Gracie as my second foster through Surfcat (first foster was a failure, Missy sleeps on my head).  Gracie is beautiful – long gray hair, green-green eyes; believe she is a Nebelung, possibly a purebred.

Not sure of Gracie’s previous home(s) or rescue but believe she was fostered. She was kept locked in a room for a couple months then returned to the shelter, hence her aggressive behavior. Gracie was NEVER aggressive towards me just hissed if I startled her or got too close.

I interacted with Gracie as much as my time allowed but nothing was working and she hid under the bed and was not adjusting. A couple of months later I contacted Leslie relaying Gracie’s lack of improvement. Leslie said she would look for a different kitty foster with more behavior experience than I had.

I waited for a new foster but couldn’t leave Gracie trapped in the bedroom while I waited.  I decided to leave her bedroom door open permanently, Gracie began venturing out into the house but still hissed at me and the other fur kitty residents. Gracie would watch me and soon found out that my high pitch voice “treats” was really something tasty. She began to eat them out of my hand and then run away.

After a year, Gracie was starting to warm up; soon she began sitting on the sofa by me enjoying being petted, hissing was less and she was relaxing.

Then came the dreaded email. Surfcat had a potential adopter!!!

Luckily Leslie could read between the lines on my response and deemed Gracie was best left with me and I would adopt her.

It’s now been two years. “Lady Grace” is more “Velcro Grace”. She wants to sleep on me or next to me. No more hissing at me just her guttural meow. I can’t believe that someone dumped this kitty. She is so amazing and loves me as much as I do her. I have told her that she will live here forever and never will be in a shelter again.

Lady Grace just gives me a kitty smile and purrs even louder.

The Patience of Time and Grace.
Jimilyn

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