Posthumous Induction
Laci
"Around 2002-2003 we had a really scruffy, almost unattractive (I can't say ugly) small cat show up near the apt, and we began to leave food out. At first it would not let us near, but as we came to sit with it while eating, it didn't run quite so quickly. Weeks turned into months, and we noticed many in the apt complex left scraps. I found she was a girl - I didn't know most torties (tortoiseshell) cats, like calico's, were girls. I followed her one day to her 'home.'
It was probably just an urban 'ditch,' but instead of concrete, this part had gently sloping green grass banks, and a tree with an overhang. She ran up the tree and glared back at me with the satisfaction I could not follow her; but she wasn't really running -- she appeared to be showing me her 'penthouse' apt with a view. As we grew closer to her, I took notice of her actual beauty - one leg solid black, but the rest her seemed to be black with a sparkling gold overlay of lace - I named her Laci. I never really wrote her name on anything until after the death of Laci Peterson, but it pulled at my heart. Laci it was.
She had a noble nose with no stop. Only 2 days ago I figured out that her profile reminded me of a jaguar or leopard, whose nose did not seem to have a stop, but came straight from the forehead. It gave her a noble, sophisticated look befitting her regal attitude (I also only found 2 days ago it might be her 'tortitude' - it is apparently, a word!)
She kept her habits of laying on any papers she found, and when digging would dig longer and further than necessary, pawing the ground around food dishes when full or finished, around the sink when finished getting a drink. She holds her own against a big, black neutered tom we have, Pyewacket. Sometimes she purposely walked by and whacked him on the butt to say, "Bring it." I could probably fill a book.
The most profound part of her story came the year we had only begun to get her to stay overnight after we watched her use our cats'litterbox. She would not, however, stay in the apt. She would scream like a banshee for days and we could not take it. She got out and stayed gone a day or two; but returned. She wouldn't come in for days though. So it was, we allowed her her freedom. She had done this a long time before us, after all.
We moved to a house 2 blocks or so away, and took her. We tried to keep her locked in the spacious home, but still she screamed. I was determined she might go out sometime but not until I had her on a harness for weeks investigating her new digs. Again, she found a way out, and was gone.
We were broken hearted once again. Looking back, we were only slightly hurt, as we thought we would find her. Weeks turned into months, and like SnoBiz, my thoughts turned to her survival being likely, or someone else took her in. I had to think this. Nothing told me otherwise.
Then one day I was taking my then 13 yo son and his friend to the friend's home, and told son I was going by the apartments again. - we were less than a block from Laci's old 'penthouse apt.' I got out, I called, I looked, didn't see, but turned, and on top of one of the wood electric meter boxes on the side of an apt, was a black cat. I called, it didn't come. I walked over and it jumped down. I was afraid it would run before I could get a good look. I saw the black foot, the other dappled in gold, and called her name. "Laci, honey, is that you?" She jumped down and laid at the foot of a tree next to the apt building; and I picked her up gently. My son and I were amazed. Eight months later, we found her. That was in 2004."
Laci stayed with us after we found her 'again' in 2004 at her old outdoor creek haunt. Only in the past 2 years did she start sleeping with us in bed, rolling over to curl her tail wanting a belly rub, actually 'petting' the doorknob and very vocally asking to 'go out,'and petting our hand with the other paw.
Laci died (June 9, 2009).
"rest in peace little one. I love you Laci."
XOXOX Mom
PS - against my own wish, I'm not ready for another - but we did visit a shelter came home and talked, and my 18 yo son brought home a beautiful tortie kitten. the info sheet was really spooky. My DH the previous week had said the next animal we got would be named 'chewbacca,' but this kitten had been named 'Ewok.' On her info sheet, she was not only brought into the shelter on the exact day that Laci died, but was brought in by a person name of JLacy.
When we took her in for a vet checkup 4 days later, our vet proclaimed, "Some things are meant to be."
And so it is.
We are renaming her Velvet (ds18 thought it fitting with Lace and Velvet) and I will post her pictures later. She must be a very special girl if she was picked by my sweet Laci for us.
Hi, I never really was fond of the look of tortoiseshell cats until I was adopted by a 3 month old stray. Now I'm crazy about them! Delilah is a handful but so loving and active. She fetches little cat-sized soccer balls (sometimes footballs) and is a constant source of love and action. 
