Gracie knew immediately she wanted the window seat

Unfortunately, in the basement, Gracie seemed to like all the places Biddie had liked. So rather than contest use rights, Biddie moved upstairs. Thanks Biddie.

The progress of Gracie

I had my doubts that Gracie would survive her first winter as a feral because, like Gwen, she was born late in the year (summer of 2008). Then she got a really bad cold, and then her right eye got sick and/or injured. I finally rescued her and got her in out of the cold. When I moved office for the second time in a year, I put her outside where Pushkin had been, living in upside-down stacked canoes. But then I brought her inside for good, and I'm so glad I did. For being born feral, Gracie proved as tame as it gets. I took this photo near the end of my trip to the US last year, when I took Gracie and her pal Elvis to Erie, PA. Now they live with my brother and his wife (and their son Evan, and the cat Biddie).

You can see from this photo how much better her eye had got by that time, after living inside, out of the cold and getting an eye operation to reduce the damage. She actually has some sight restored now. That is the sort of progress in the right direction that we all need sometimes.

Like Elvis Gracie has the distinction of successfully living in both the Dining Hall Troop and the Swimming Pool Gang (only in the reverse order of Elvis).

Gracie continues her study of fish, snails and aquatic plants

Gracie is a truly lovely cat. Her personality combines the best of ferals with a really loving house cat. You can only really enjoy both sides to her if you know her really well. Thanks to Joe, Angie, Evan, Biddy, and Duncan (another cat who passed away late last year) for giving Gracie a chance for a happy and long life.

 

Gracie looks after the aquarium

Gracie thinks the fish tank is a neat combination--it's warm, has 'running' water, and it contains fish!

She and Elvis continue to enjoy their new life in Erie, PA. Thanks to Joe, Angie and Evan for hosting them--oh, and Biddy too (one of the cats who has been in the same home for a lot longer than Elvis and Gracie).

Collage of Gracie

Gracie was part of the Dining Hall Troop and then moved over to the Swimming Pool Gang for a few months. That was when she lived next to Elvis, with whom she developed a deep bond. Now she lives in the US with Elvis. A really beautiful long-haired calico with a wonderful personality. She was never kept by anyone as a kitten and young cat, but she got used to me and to the woman who came to feed her every night. She quickly adapted to life indoors. She is the cat on this blog's masthead (yawning).

GRACIE SAYS, HAPPY NEW YEAR!

SEE GRACIE ROAR IN THE YEAR OF THE CAT.

Another snap of Elvis and Gracie in their new home in Erie, PA

ELVIS AND GRACIE IN USA

They were born in Japan and made their lives as feral to semi-feral cats. Then they spent months in my office, with Pushkin, June, Nana, and Pongo. Now they share a home with Angie, Joe, and Biddy (a rescued cat). And everyone there misses Duncan very much (Duncan was a rescued cat who lived 14 years but who recently passed away). Please note just how much Gracie's right eye has improved (btw, Gracie is the cat roaring/yawning at the top of this blog on the masthead).

Enjoy a Gracie Slideshow

http://picasaweb.google.com/jannuzi/GRACIE#slideshow/5390539483418246674

By the way, some have asked--yes, Gracie's eye is getting better after the operation that the Daimon Animal clinic so kindly performed. The eye is now actually round and you can see iris and pupil. It appears that Gracie is seeing through it now as well.

http://picasaweb.google.com/jannuzi/GRACIE#slideshow/5390539483418246674

Here is the link to the photoalbum that generates the slideshow, in case the link doesn't work. Just click on 'slideshow' above the album.

http://picasaweb.google.com/jannuzi/GRACIE?feat=directlink

Gracie Photo Album

http://picasaweb.google.com/jannuzi/GRACIE?feat=directlink

Here is a small collection of some of my photos of Gracie taken over the past year. Gracie recently moved to a family in Erie, PA. Although it's a long way from Fukui, the climate is very similar. Gracie went with Elvis and both are enjoying for the first time, things like plush carpets, chipmunks running outside the window, and high-quality catfood without corn grits (like Newman's Own).

http://picasaweb.google.com/jannuzi/GRACIE?feat=directlink

Ragi and her daughter Gwen

Ragi is the matriarch of the Dining Hall Troop. She is a lovely 'mikeneko', classic calico cat. She is not fully used to people--I saw a student chase her the other day, the guy was just goofing around, but such behaviour from people isn't really going to make Ragi trust people very much. She lets me pet her before and during feeding, so actually she is rather friendly for a fully feral cat. She was born on the campus, grew up here and will most likely die here. If I had a large house in the country, I would not hesitate to adopt a cat like Ragi. She would just need her space and to be allowed to come and go in the surroundings.

Last year, her last born litter of three had one survivor. I called her Gracie then, but her identity got confused with another lovely little calico kitten, also born last year. So that 'changeling' stayed 'Gracie', while the original Gracie is now called Gwen. Gwen is a short-haired calico, and her dark color is actually a striped grey, which is truly lovely. Gracie (the changeling) is also colored like this, but her fur is rather long and she is a smaller cat than Gwen. Gracie has moved over to the Swimming Pool Gang, and lives next to Elvis, the alpha male of that location. Gwen has moved to the edge of the Dining Hall Troop. She lives behind or amongst some houses (houses in town in Japan are usually put very close together, creating spaces that cats can hide in), and she visits me for feeding at a bicycle stand near the north walk-in gate of campus, right behind the number one building of the College of Education (where my new office is). Whereas Gracie is rather used to people--once you feed her you can pick her up and pet her, and she has lived in my office for a couple weeks to get over a bad cold--Gwen is like her mother, Ragi, very shy, although used enough to people to let them get close to her when feeding.




Ragi, mother of Gwen, Orange Blossom, and Caramel. Aunt to Shaun and Gracie.





This was a photo taken last year in July, of Gwen (front) and her mother Ragi (behind).

Gracie, Newest Member of the Dining Hall Troop

Gracie, Ragi's youngest daughter, is a calico born last year. So she has had a hard time adapting to life on the campus. First, there is all the construction, which displaced her from her usual hiding place, under the handicapped access ramp to the library. And she is small, so other cats have bullied her a bit (most of the culprits are not regular campus cats apparently). But she seems to be doing well. She only comes out at night. She is also a health food advocate. She won't touch the dry cheap food. She prefers canned tuna or chicken--and she will let you know she doesn't like dry food! Although she only comes out at night, Gracie is used to me and to the lady who regularly feeds her. We can pick her up and pet her, so she is not at all wild towards us. Gracie is a beautiful cat (I wish I could get a nice daytime photo of her). She is white, orange and dark grey (the dark grey is striped too).