RIP Gracie, October 4, 2024

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Gracie (standing), soon after adoption with her buddy Morgan. She was always the small one at 7 pounds.

We lost our beloved Gracie last week. It happened so fast there hasn’t been time to process it all. Two weeks ago, she was watching TV with us in the evening. Last week she stayed by the sliding doors, next to her water dish. At first, I didn’t think much of it. She switched up her favorite spots occasionally except for spending mornings with me by the computer. That was our sacred time.

Gracie was always a literary cat. She loved books. She could lay on them, sit on them or chew them up.

Last Tuesday she didn’t seem to be herself. We all have bad days, so I kept an eye on her. Thursday morning I took her in. The vet saw the problem immediately. She had late-stage liver failure. Because of her fur color I didn’t see the jaundice. She had been drinking a lot of water and peeing so I thought it was diabetes or something treatable. Anything treatable. Aside from food fetishes and bad teeth, she had been a healthy cat.

Her spot in the office.

The vet did tests, took x-rays and gave her some treatments to help her feel better until we could confirm the diagnosis. She perked up Thursday night and was ok Friday morning. By the afternoon she was fading. Initial testing came back showing liver failure. Her abdomen was filled with fluid. The vet thought it was cancer but without biopsies and other invasive testing, we wouldn’t know for sure. Even if we did that, the treatments would be brutal and hopeless, so we spared her that.

We let our sweet one-eyed furball go. She was adopted as an adult of unknown age. The rescue thought maybe one to two years. The vet thought at least four. She was somewhere around 12 when she died. That’s young for an indoor cat with a full-service staff and unlimited healthcare.

This was taken last week. She is with her beloved zoom groom.

The energy in the house is off. The cats are needy and so are the peeps. We’ll be back soon.

146 thoughts on “RIP Gracie, October 4, 2024”

  1. “Even if we did that, the treatments would be brutal and hopeless, so we spared her that.” we were faced with that, too. Gracie knew she could always depend on you – and you, being wise and so kind, whispers good bye and let her go gently. Bravery comes in many forms.

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  4. It is no small thing to lose a beloved pet, Kate. So sorry for your loss.

    RIP Gracie.

    Sorry it’s taken this long for me to respond, but we had to evacuate since Hurricane Milton was heading right for us. The house we stayed at had no TV or internet . . . but it did have a generator for power.

    The eye of the hurricane passed right over our neighborhood so lots of damage to signs, trees, siding, roofs, etc. Minor issues with our villa, but we are OK. And the power is back on. So all is good.

    Be gentle with yourself as you grieve for Gracie.

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  5. So sorry. I don’t know many people that love their cats as much as you and I and I know how bad the loss hurts. Every single time. Keeping you, yours and your other cats in my thoughts.

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  10. I’m so very sorry Kate. I took a moment away from work to calm down, opened your blog and wailed Noooo! out loud. My co-workers think I’m nuts. But Gracie! She will be so missed by you and the household, but also by all of us readers. Gracie was part of my breaks when things get tense at work. My co-workers go out for a smoke, I check on the news from Gracie.

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  13. Oh Kate! I’m so, so sorry to hear about Gracie. My deepest condolences. She was one lucky little cat to find you in her life … and I strongly suspect that the reverse is also true ❤️

    Hugs from afar 💕

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  17. We are so sorry Gracie was needed at the Bridge. So many purrs and hugs to all her friends and family. Thank you for loving her and for sharing her with all of us.

    Liked by 1 person

  25. We are so sorry to hear Gracie has left her current life and brought you much sadness. But know that her essence will have moved on to another form, maybe cat, maybe human, but as buddhists we know her good life with you and your kindness to her will have created good karma. May your fond memories shine through to wipe away the sadness as the sun does the rain.

    Gentle purrs

    ERin

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  26. I’m so very sorry for this devastating loss.My heart breaks for you.

    Sending lots of big hugs.

    🥰 😢 🥰 🌈 🥰

    (I am on vacation and can’t make a memento for you, but zi will do thaty when I get back. likely sometime late next week…)

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  27. I don’t know whether losing them swiftly is better than knowing what’s coming. It all hurts. Godspeed, Gracie, and God bless your family.

    Liked by 1 person

    • After the initial test results and her physical fading, I made the decision fast. This isn’t the first time I’ve had to make that decision. Sometimes I waited too long. For Mollie we went through two months of nothing working before I saw the exhaustion in her eyes. So hard to know when the right moment is. The vet was helpful in this situation. We didn’t wait for all the testing to come back. We made it when we knew enough.

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  30. I am sorry to read this post Kate and just can’t give it a “like” – what a sweet soul you’ve lost. You know we all feel badly and will miss Gracie’s “reports” on her furry and human family.

    Liked by 1 person

  31. You are undertaking the long journey through grief.  While others may share that grief we all walk it alone.  There are no right or wrong paths, no proper way to carry oneself, no set amount of time to complete it.  Some steps will come easier than others.  There will be rogue waves of grief that you won’t see coming, and knock you back days.  But you will come through it.  If you get lost let us know.  We have been through it before and we might be able to help you find the way out.

    Liked by 1 person

    • It is a process and it does come in waves. Keeping to routine helps and having other pets to hug helps a lot. There has been a lot of loss lately so it piles up. You have a good few hours and hope for more of that the next day. Eventually you hope for a good day which always comes with the guilt that you are forgetting but you never forget.

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  33. i am so sorry for your loss. from one pet caretaker to another I know how hard that can be both for you and your pack. When i light my candle to night it will be with Gracie and my thoughts.

    Peace and grace and sympathy to you all.

    Liked by 1 person

  37. So sorry to hear of your loss. Gracie was a GREAT cat. It is never easy to lose such a wonderful family member. Please accept my sympathies.

    Liked by 1 person

  40. So sorry to read this. Gracie is off on her next adventure, but you and her mates are left to miss her. Purrayers that the good memories will come to the fore in time.

    Liked by 1 person

  41. My heart is grieving with you. She was a wonderful cat, and I loved her blog posts. Although it was difficult for you, I’m so glad you didn’t prolong her suffering. I’m sending powerful hugs to your whole house and all residents.

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  43. Dearest Kate,

    First off a huge hug for adopting such one–eyed kitties into your human loving care!

    Gracie at least knew true human love—whatever happened before she met you.

    It is rough to lose one of our beloved kitties and even harder to see them suffer. Our three siblings, born in our home with my assistance, are now 17.5 years and showing health issues.

    Never easy the final walk with them but it is because of love!

    Hugs,

    Mariette + Kitties

    Liked by 1 person

  49. I am so so sorry tp learn of the passing of your fur baby. I didn’t know her..I wish I had known of her. My deep condolences to you for her loss. I know the trauma of loss of our loved fur family.

    Liked by 1 person

  50. I was shocked to read this. Shedding tears for your loss over here. I know what it’s like to lose a beloved furry family member due to liver cancer/failure (our Max). It’s so difficult. I’m sad for you. We will all miss precious Gracie here at the Coffee Kat blog. Hugs. 💗

    Liked by 1 person

  57. So sorry to hear this. One thing I know for sure Gracie had a wonderful life with you and THAT is the important thing. We will miss her too – I mean that with all my heart.

    Hugs and love, Pam (and Teddy too)

    Liked by 1 person

  60. Oh my gosh, I am so sorry. There aren’t even words for coping with the heartache. She was a great cat, so full of sass and energy. May the promised land be full of rotisserie chicken. All the hugs to your household.

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  61. I am so sorry about your loss. Gracie was a big part of your stories, so we all feel some loss. I am sure it will take both the peeps and the other four-legged creatures sometime to work through the grief. Sending all of you virtual hugs and positive vibes.

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  64. So sorry for your loss, I’ve had quite a few cats, some by choice and some thrust upon me as they need a good home and it’s surprising how many of them leave us having suffered liver failure. I have a little tear in my eye as I remember them and I know how you feel. All you can do for them is give them a good life and to love them which I can tell you did. They remain in our hearts and memory for the rest of our lives and that’s as it should be. Best wishes, Joe.

    Liked by 1 person

    • This is my first loss to liver failure. Kidney failure and dementia and advanced diabetes I’m familiar with. I looked at pictures this morning and she looked healthy up until the last few weeks. The vet said these things go fast. She was a sweet cat. Bossy but sweet.

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  66. I’m so sorry for the loss of your beloved Gracie. It’s so hard when we don’t know what’s wrong, we just know something is. My heart is with you as you grieve and know that your Gracie will always be in your heart and waiting for you at the end of the rainbow bridge.

    Liked by 1 person

  67. I’m so sorry. Hugs to you and all of Gracie’s buddies. It’s hard to watch them grieve while you are grieving yourself, but may you all comfort each other and treasure the memory of a very special cat.

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