UPDATE: she returned about 25 hours later, after I checked an animal shelter. She did not go outside again for almost 2 weeks.
Grendel is gone. I let her out yesterday and forgot to bring her in before I went to sleep. It’s happened before, and she’s survived. She is always waiting by the front or back door in the morning to be let in. I’m always anxious, scared, and furious at myself whenever it happens. This morning, I searched for her. I posted flyers in the area and posted on two Facebook groups.
How do I forgive myself? She loved being outdoors. But it was my fault for forgetting to bring her inside at bedtime.
In memory of Grendel. Elliot and I made up stories about your adventures almost every day. You welcomed my son into this world and showed him the affection you’d show your own kitten. You comforted me during grief and played with me during the good. You were always at my side when I was home, and berated me if I left you alone too long. You slept on my chest every night, licking my face as we both drifted to sleep. You slept on my desk as I worked. You demanded treats and love every day, something we all should aspire to receive. You followed me around the house like a dog. You meowed at me every night in the closet as I dressed for bed, as if to say, “Come on, already! Get to bed already!” until I went into bed or picked you up and petted you. We called you “snaggle tooth” because of your solitary fang overbite. You tolerated a young child’s teasing like an old soul. Grendel, the first of the Pizza Kittens and the most social cat I’ve ever known.
MISSING CAT
“Grendel”
Black with green eyes. Red collar and blue tag.
Please call 781-626-0844
Memories of Grendel
Here are the cats I’ve had in my life: Jax, Noodles, Violet, Spinachi, Fritz, Pepi, Grendel. Their memories are like fragmented dreams, except for Pepi, who is still with me, and Grendel, who I just lost today. I don’t want Grendel’s memory to become like a dream. I can’t control that, but I can write down some memories of her now. I loved this little black cat.
Sometimes we would make an “Elliot sandwich”: I would lie on my back in ned. Elliot lied on top of me, face down, so I could give him the “vuvs”. Then Grendel would come and lie on top of Elliot. The two of them fell asleep this way.
She was very, very friendly and affectionate. Whenever someone came into the house – a stranger or an old friend – she approached them, meowing and rubbing against their legs. She was curious, engaging, and gregarious. She loved to go outdoors, except when there was snow on the ground.
She loved to take “dirt baths” in the patches of dirt around the house, but most especially the patch of dirt in the front yard under the tree that used to have the circular bench. Sometimes, I’d let her out the front door, she’d take a dirt bath, then come back inside – all within 1-2 minutes. She just wanted a dirt bath.
Karolina adopted Grendel in Petco in Dillon or Frisco. She had come from an animal shelter in Snowmass. She often escaped from her owner’s house or apartment. The shelter contacted the previous owner, but the owner did not want her back. Such a great cat, I don’t understand why. She lived with us in Cordillera in Edwards, and before that in the River Run apartment in Avon, and finally of course in Highlands Ranch.
She slept on my chest, learning that from Pepi, licking my face as we both fell asleep, with Elliot sleeping next to me, too. Originally she only slept next to me or at my feet. But she almost always slept in the same bed as me. She licked me. A lot. My face, my hands, my ears. She loved to be touched and stroked. She loved shoulder rides.
She was good to Elliot. When Elliot would pull her tail or poke her, she didn’t retaliate like a lot of cats might do. She would meow at him or walk away, but just as often might sit there and take more of it patiently. She was nice to Elliot, even when he was a small baby (Elliot is now 1 month shy of age 5).
Often times during the day, she slept on the small cat bed on my desk in the office. Sometimes she slept in Elliot’s bed among all of his stuffed animals… looking like another stuffed animal.
Like many cats, she loved laser lights and fishing toys. She was immune to catnip.
When Elliot and I would go outside, she followed us around and meowed the whole time – until she reached the limits of her perimeter. She did not go past two houses next door. She did not cross the street. She followed us to the pool in the summer, but only to the edge of her field next to the house.
She hunted mice in the open space field just next to the fence. She brought some home and left them on the deck or in the back yard. I taught Elliot how to bury the mice in the garden, and we’d say the Mourner’s Kaddish over them. One time she dropped a dead mouse on a pile of Chinle’s poop in the backyard. Chloe White, Michael, and Jenny White were here when that happened, and maybe Chloe’s friend Brit. We were all a little perplexed. I am pretty sure I wrote about it previously and included a photo.
She loved “Temptations” cat treats and begged for them several times per day. In fact, she got rather annoying about it. I had anxiety the days leading up to the end of the treats. I knew if I did not buy more, I would be harassed all day long for more.
She went for car rides with me and Elliot! Elliot would ask to bring her in the car when I drove.
When Elliot and I would rest in the “furniture tent” in the backyard, Grendel would jump onto the furniture and rest with us.
At night, around bedtime, she followed me around the house, looking up at me and meowing almost nonstop. As if to say, “let’s go to bed! hurry up!” She followed me to whatever room I went to and just meowed nonstop. If I picked her up and put on her on my shoulder, she would stop meowing and purr.
