Thanks everyone for sharing your stories about your cats. I have enjoyed them and I hope others did as much as I did.

Yes, little Gracie is quite a character. When I first got her, she was a shy, scared little cat....ready to run at first chance. She had been badly abused and rescued by a kind girl who is rescuing homeless and abused cats. Her 'adopt me' photo was a really bad one from a phone camera and no one wanted this "ugly" cat. Shame on them - she is a beautiful soft dilute calico with a touch of tabby stripes and a really sweet face (see my gallery).

We made a big breakthrough when I told her it was okay to play....she came out of her shell like a shot and has proved to be delightful. She still worries about punishment although I am careful to scold her not hit her.

We adopted a small dog within a couple days and they got along fine except that they were competing for my attention. Gracie would walk into the living room, look at Rex on the couch, walk over to him, and slap his nose! They sandwiched me at night....I couldn't move and Charlie was unable to get near me...poor fellow. Unfortunately, Rex died when Charlie foolishly got in an accident. When neither Charlie or Rex came home again, Gracie developed a fear that I would disappear, too. If I go shopping, she worries and I get the biggest welcome when I return.

That shy, scared little cat has turned into a tyrant and a tiger. She bosses me around, tells me when to go to bed (she has shut off the computer in the middle of chat), and chases anything out of this yard that wanders through (fox, deer, cats, dogs....). She is smart, amazing, and I love her dearly. With everyone else gone...she is my whole family, now and if I didn't have her, I would be lost.

I am glad you enjoy my little stories about her.