Come for the politics, stay for the snark.

I was promised a recession.

I did not have this on my fuck 2022 bingo card.

We still have time to mess this up!

Damn right I heard that as a threat.

When I decide to be condescending, you won’t have to dream up a fantasy about it.

I’d hate to be the candidate who lost to this guy.

“woke” is the new caravan.

The next time the wall street journal editorial board speaks the truth will be the first.

They’re not red states to be hated; they are voter suppression states to be fixed.

I know this must be bad for Joe Biden, I just don’t know how.

Republicans seem to think life begins at the candlelight dinner the night before.

Accountability, motherfuckers.

JFC, are there no editors left at that goddamn rag?

The willow is too close to the house.

I really should read my own blog.

Do not shrug your shoulders and accept the normalization of untruths.

Fuck these fucking interesting times.

Come on, man.

We are aware of all internet traditions.

Despite his magical powers, I don’t think Trump is thinking this through, to be honest.

Let me eat cake. The rest of you could stand to lose some weight, frankly.

Consistently wrong since 2002

So it was an October Surprise A Day, like an Advent calendar but for crime.

Speaking of republicans, is there a way for a political party to declare intellectual bankruptcy?

You are here: Home / Pet Blogging / Cat Blogging / Grace Update

Grace Update

by | 71 Comments

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A month ago someone decided that not only was I the Balloon Juice backup food goddess, but that I’m also the back up crazy cat lady too! I’m not sure if we’re breaking glass ceilings with this or erecting new ones. Anyhow, one of the cats that need some assistance was named Grace. Momsense emailed me and asked if I’d put a bleg up asking if someone would adopt her. And very quickly along came a commenter using the name Black Onion. Yesterday he emailed and asked if I’d post an update about how Grace is getting on.

It’s been one month since I took Grace in after her owner passed away. Momsense and I met for the hand off, which went smoothly. She was very kind, and I was happy to help. Grace was affectionate from the moment we met. I had concerns that Jose (the black cat) might not take kindly to a new roommate since his sister Chloe passed away 4 years ago. I kept Grace in the bedroom for two weeks with her own food, water and litter box. She hid nonetheless, mostly under the bed. She was very jumpy, as this was a new space and new humans to be around. Eventually she would not scamper away when I stood up, or entered the room.

A few times a week I would swap them out so they would get used to each other’s scents. I let them meet for 10 minutes at a time until I was able to be home a weekend so I could open the doors wide and let them mingle with me nearby. There was a little hissing a few times, but that was just fear. Only once did they get into a tussle, and stopped at my raised voice. Now they have cleaned each other and share the same food and water without much incident.

Over the course of the month she has become the most loving and affectionate cat I have ever met. She will grab my hand with her claw, and pull my hand over to pet her. She’ll bite my finger, but never break the skin. Just to grab onto it and pull. She is such a beautiful and sweet cat, and I am so lucky to have her, as terrible as the circumstances were. I’m glad I saw the post about her and offered. She’s made my life better. Hopefully hers is okay too.

And where would we be without some pictures of Grace, not at Balloon Juice that’s for sure! So here they are. Several will be after the jump. Black Onion was worried he’d sent to many. I told him in my reply email:

Dude, it’s Balloon Juice, there’s no such thing as too many pet pictures. I’m sure if someone sent one of us a bunch of pictures of their pet Komodo dragon and we posted it, we’d get 200 hundred comments exclaiming what an exceptionally good killing machine that pet is.

For those who want to keep up with Grace’s and Jose’s adventures, here’s the link to Black Onion’s Tumblr account.

Open thread!

Reader Interactions

71Comments

  3. 3.

    Alternative Fax, a hip hop artist from Idaho

    Thanks, Black Onion, for taking Grace in. She’s clearly both happy and welcomed in her new home. MomSense is an angel among us for bringing you together, as well as for her friendship with her late neighbor.

    And thank you Adam for improving my week with this post. We love pet pictures!

  7. 7.

    Sandia Blanca

    Hooray for Grace, for Black Onion, for MomSense, and for Adam the emergency backup crazy cat lady!

  8. 8.

    Mohagan

    Grace is a really pretty cat. Those green eyes are wonderful. Thank you both so much for the update and post!

  9. 9.

    Mary G

    Oh, thank you, Black Onion. It’s always so heartening to see a pet bleg have a happy ending! The more pictures the better. I’m glad that she and Jose are getting along. Two of my four cats in my lifetime have done the tapping of my hand with a paw to order pets RIGHT NAOW!.

  10. 10.

    ThresherK

    Nice to see the cat in residence being friendly with the addition.

    Sweet Grace-face too.

  11. 11.

    Joy in FL

    I am so happy for Grace and her new family. Adam is absolutely correct: there is no such thing as too many pet pictures.

  12. 12.

    MazeDancer

    What good and sweet news! Yay, Black Onion. And Momsense. And Adam.

    Wouldn’t have minded more pics…

  14. 14.

    Amir Khalid

    So good to see Grace settled in at Black Onion’s and getting along so well with Jose. I agree about her lovely green eyes.

  16. 16.

    jl

    Thnx for catpix. Very cute. Very nice.
    And I thought Adam was the new BJ crazy food lady and the BJ cat goddess. I stand corrected.

  18. 18.

    Aleta

    Beautiful. She looks so happy. A secure happy animal is such a beautiful sight. Thanks to B. Onion and Momsense and Adam.

  29. 29.

    WaterGirl

    Grace is so beautiful. Thank you Black Onion for taking her and MomSense for your devotion to both Grace and your good friend. Happy ending all around. (and no massage parlors involved)

  33. 33.

    Suzanne

    Grace is beautiful and it has been a crazy day and I definitely needed the pick-me-up! Thank you to all of the great hoomanz involved.

  38. 38.

    Tenar Arha

    Wow, those eyes Grace! (& Jose too)

    Speaking of Komodo dragons, could we do a not-cat & not-dog pet post sometime soon? I know Ta-Mara has the ducks, who else has birds? Fish? Lizards? Turtles? Hamsters? Bunnies?

    (I’m a sucker for vicarious pets. & I’m betting I’m not alone ?)

  39. 39.

    J R in WV

    Thanks to everyone involved in saving poor Grace, who I’m sure still wonders a little bit where her nice owner went off to, and why without Grace. Never too many pictures of sweet furbabies!!

    Black Onion, please do participate in Balloon-Juice going forward, we need all the kind and compassionate cat lovers we can get! AT least once in a while to let us know how Grace is doing… such a sweet kitty! Thanks again for saving her!!

  41. 41.

    Mnemosyne

    I’m in a crappy mood tonight, so this helped. Thank you.

    Black Onion, don’t worry too much if the kitties rassle around without making any noise — that’s how to know they’re just playing. If you hear hissing or growling, then try to break them up before any pouncing occurs. We can usually break Charlotte’s attention with a sharp sound like a hand clap so Annie can dart away.

  47. 47.

    Comrade Colette Collaboratrice

    @Tenar Arha: We have a tortoise named Tank. He sometimes clambers UNDER a cat to stay warm. Weirdly, both parties seem fine with this arrangement. I’ll try to send pix.

  48. 48.

    CaseyL

    Adam the Honorary Crazy Cat Lady: I love it!

    Also love Grace’s eyes.

    Thanks to all who gave this story a happy ending!

  50. 50.

    Black_Onion

    @J R in WV: It’s hard enough to read all the posts and try and delve into the comments. So many people here and the comment threads fill up so fast it’s hard to keep up. If there was some way to know when a comment was responded to it would help people like me. There seem to be a lot of good folks on here.

  51. 51.

    Black_Onion

    @Mnemosyne: There hes been one noisy tussle that lasted 10 seconds until they heard my dad voice. The same dad voice that got my child and wife’s attention on long road trips. The slow introduction seemed to help. I can count on on hand the times they have hissed at each other.

  53. 53.

    TomatoQueen

    @Black_Onion: So glad Grace and Jose have become friends and companions. Thank you for opening your home to Grace and sharing Chloe too. Well done to the great chain of rescue.

  55. 55.

    MomSense

    When Blackonion says Grace uses her claw to take his hand, he means it. She has claws to rival Steve!

  56. 56.

    Black_Onion

    @MomSense: I did the easy part. She’s a delight and has made a difference in my life already. I blame John Cole for making the community. I’m glad I got first dibs. She’s like a light therapy box for the soul.

  60. 60.

    different-church-lady

    I’m not sure if we’re breaking glass ceilings with this or erecting new ones.

    Breaking glass floors.

  62. 62.

    Sab

    Somebody feline is very comfortable that she lets you take all of those photos. Jose is also gorgeous although black cats not so photogenic. Just get to be gorgeous at home where he can be seen in person.

  64. 64.

    Rileys Enabler

    Love this story. Thank you to all the Jackals that made this happen, for giving sweet Grace this awesome new life. So dear. I definitely needed this ray of sunshine.

  65. 65.

    Mike in Oly

    What a great way to start the day – with a happy cat story! Thanks so much for the cute pics and happy ending to a sad situation.

  67. 67.

    karen marie

    @Joy in FL: I know, right? I get very crabby when a post goes up with only one! This was very satisfying to see a bunch of pictures of Gracie and her new friend Jose. They are lovely and sweet, as is Black Onion for taking Gracie in and sharing a follow-up.

    I think every post, regardless of subject, should have at least three pet pictures.

  68. 68.

    karen marie

    @Black_Onion: Have you tried a Furminator? They take out amazing amounts of fur! My Gracie won’t tolerate a lot of brushing but a swipe with the furminator here and there does wonders.

  71. 71.

    KrakenJack

    Well-done Black Onion and MomSense. It’s been a good antidote to the toxic news.

    I’m in the vicarious kitty appreciation club. Had them growing up, but realized after I left home that I’m allergic. Now I’m limited to a little chin scratching followed by vigorous hand washing.

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