Our house in the country had a 6-7 foot brick fence. The Big Kitty, our 18-pound Maine Coon cat, presented us with a rabbit that was so large that it dragged on the ground when he carried it. We thanked him, then took the rabbit outside the fence and into a neighboring field. About an hour later, the cat was back at the doorstep with the rabbit. This meant he had to leap to the top of the fence with the rabbit and back down. He looked distinctly put out.

Thanks. Gracie came to me because when she was maybe 15/16, she decided the outdoor life was not for her. She was living with my dad at the time and started being more and more inside (she had a nasty run in or two with something, we don't know what) and eventually shifted from 80% outdoors to 80% indoors.

Unfortunately she is part Siamese, and my dad is allergic in particular to Siamese cats. My sister couldn't take her for reasons, and they spent a long time trying to convince me to take her. The moment I showed the tiniest softening, they were at my door with her. I figured, okay, this will be about six months. That was four years ago.

I've learned a few things. One, that I thought I was both a dog and cat person. I am not. I pretty much hate having an indoor cat, but it's Gracie so I deal. And I will definitely miss the hell out of her when she's gone - the weight on my legs when I go to sleep, meowing back at her when she's being a pain, the way she bosses the dogs without even lifting a paw.

More stories over the weekend. She has had a long, eventful life and I don't want to think about how close she is to the end. But it's coming.

My aunt (who lost her husband this summer) just lost one of her dogs today. A fb friend/local acquaintance did as well, and I encouraged my aunt to do what she did: gather stories.

Gracie sounds like a wonderful cat. I'm glad she's had the kind of life she wanted, and good humans to take care of her. There's something about black part-Siamese cats; I had two, brother and sister, for a long time. Very talky, very smart.

Gracie sounds like a great cat.

We found on the steps of one house -- just a mouse head. It was like a tiny Godfather tableau for, say, a dollhouse.

Clio once left the head of the mouse under the coffee table. I was glad it wasn't in my bed, at least.

Gracie sounds epic

I made a cake for my coworker who is a retiring tomorrow. First, the whisk broke as I was mixing it. Then,it stuck to the pan. While I was picking the stuck bits out of the pan, I found a little plastic bit of the handle of the whisk. I had thought I got all the pieces. Now I am worried there are more, and I shouldn't bring in the cake at all. (I also have a pie.)

There is even thunder going on which is weird!

I don't even have to check weather to know that when I share weather systems with LAistas, it's going to be raining most of the night.

Gracie is a badass, no lie.

Gracie sounds fantastic. The bird thing more because I wasn't there. Yikes.