I am new to this thread - I just read it for the first time. I cried, laughed, clapped, felt all warm and fuzzy - but can see no pictures! I want to see the pictures of the kitty!
Jay-c, your story really warmed my heart. Thank goodness there are people like you in the world 
I don’t know what you believe in, but whatever it may or may not be, bless you.
Not an interest?! With all due respect to bodypoet and Bounce, Gracie is the First Official Dope Kitty. Bounce is the Second Official Dope Kitty.
I wonder if Gracie has some Russian Blue in her. Neither of ours is afraid of water and Jake is quite comfortable sitting in the tub while I shower.
Again with the common factor! Our chocolate lab (Sierra) has only recently been allowed in the house during morning hours and she scared the hell out of me a couple of days ago by trying to climb in the shower while I was rinsing out shampoo.
I cannot believe I remembered this thread, and I’ve been away from the SDMB for years, but today something reminded me and I thought to come back here for one final update. Gracie, who had at one point been christened as the Dope’s first kitty, passed recently at the age of 18.
Gracie remained very small, and grew to be a sweet natured and dignified yet loving and gentle soul, and she had an impact on many throughout her life. She happily fostered several abandoned kittens over the years, fiercely mothering them and teaching them the ropes until they found their own homes. My son, who was just 8 when I found Gracie, is now an adult with a long term girlfriend. Gracie loved my son the most out of everyone in her life, so she of course loved anyone she knew that he loved and the girlfriend instantly was embraced by Gracie. She charmed the girlfriend so much that she herself has now adopted two cats and volunteers at a cat rescue.
In 2007, Gracie fell in love with a senior cat we adopted, named Jack, and they were lifelong companions the rest of their days. Gracie and Jack were closely bonded, and rarely apart. Most days they could be found curled around each one another napping, and when Jack passed recently at the amazing age of 22, Gracie followed him less than a month later. I still believe she died of a broken heart and lost the will to go on without him.
Gracie lived a beautiful and full life, and was deeply loved every second of it. She passed in my arms at home, surrounded by my husband, son, his girlfriend, and our veterinarian. If anyone is out there from the old days of the Dope, who still remembers Gracie, I’d love for you to take a brief moment today and raise a glass in her honor.
I wasn’t around for the start of the story. Glad to hear it has a happy middle to it. The end has to come eventually, and 18 years is a big win for an orphan that likely wouldn’t have lived for a month without your help. Thank you for all of this. I’m sure you miss Gracie, you must be sad that her life has ended, but it’s not a sad ending to the story.
What an amazing story. You demonstrated enormous compassion for your fellows, human and animal alike. This was a wonderful story to read (especially now, when empathy for those deemed unlovable is in such short supply.)
You’re the best, jay-c. How lovely to get those bulletins bracketing the whole life of a darling cat.
Two questions: do you still have any of the pics? Your old website seems to be down. Plus it would be great to see more pics of Gracie’s life to commemorate her.
And, I know it’s unlikely (as you probably would have mentioned it), but did you ever hear anything else about the two brothers?
This thread is amazing. Thanks for sharing through the years.
Also, I second
Wow.
I click this random “wanna see my kitty?” thread expecting to see some kitten pics, and stumble upon this sad yet heartwarming, epic tale of a fantastic foster fail spanning 18 years. That’s why I love this place.
Mrs. solost fosters kittens and their moms for an animal shelter until the kittens are old enough to adopt. “Foster fail” is their term for when a fostering human finds their fosters too darn adorable to give away. Our two feline family members are foster fails.
A heartwarming story, and I am glad Gracie lived such a full and happy life. We have had a lot of kitties of our own over the years, all but the first being rescues of some sort or another, and they all were greatly loved family members. Our current very vocal Siamese was a stray found by my sister-in-law, who passed on to us when SIL had to move into a retirement home.