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Gracie entered my life in 2001 when I decided to adopt another cat to be a companion for Abigail Lynn, my 10-year-old cat. When I met 4-month-old "Boots" at the shelter, I could hear her loudly voicing her dislike of being in a cage. When I opened the door, she jumped into my arms and wrapped her arms around my neck.

Adoption applications usually took 3 to 5 days to process and this was a Saturday so I thought I wouldn't get an answer for a few days. The shelter called me back the next day to say I was approved and asked if I could come to get her right away. I was overjoyed and went to get her. As soon as I walked in the door, I could again hear her yelling at the top of her lungs.

I brought her home and opened the carrier door. She streaked out and immediately jumped to the back of a wooden rocking chair. She balanced there precariously as it rocked back and forth from the impact. I said, "Way to go, Grace!" and from then on, she became Grace, adding her middle name, Ellen, a few months later.

Gracie was quite an adventurer. Once when I came home from work, I heard her yelling, but couldn't find her. We played Marco Polo until I finally found her in the basement. She had climbed up to the rafters and fell through the fake ceiling into the bathroom. I kept that door closed so she was trapped. I opened the door and she walked out, grudgingly told me thank you, and went upstairs.

When Abigail passed away at only 12 years old Gracie comforted me, and when I added a puppy to our family, she accepted Margaret Mabel. When I married David, I think she thought we adopted him and his cat, Calvin also.

Calvin loved to gently pick on Gracie, tapping her backside as she walked by. She would whirl around and beat his nose mercilessly while he just hunkered down, pinned his ears, and took it. Calvin never fought back or was mean to her, it was plain to see he had a crush on her.

Gracie put up with the many foster kittens we care for every year for the animal shelter. She taught them to leave hissing, growling cats alone. When old age finally caught up to Grace, she took up residence on our dining room table to be near me as I worked at my desk. We let her stay there in her soft bed with a heating pad, food, and water.

Gracie was always a small girl, 7lbs at most, but when her weight got down to 4.5lbs, her vet and I agreed she was too frail to enjoy life any longer. Grace Ellen left us gracefully and peacefully 4 months shy of her 21st birthday. An era ended that day, and we will miss her until we meet again at the Rainbow Bridge.

Story submitted by Susan Eisenbacher, from Fairmont, MN.

Grace Ellen’s story was originally shared on The Animal Rescue Site. Share your very own rescue story here!