Happy Tail: Graydon
After Carole’s cat Peek-A-Boo passed, she felt lost — until a friend told her about Annex Cat Rescue. She wanted to adopt an older cat, and after a long phone interview with ACR, she was introduced to Graydon. He had been feral and was very shy, but Carole just saw him as lovable.
Before bringing Graydon to his new home, Carole set up several hiding places for him — one in a closet, one in the kitchen, and one that would be near her. Once he came home, Carole just decided to make him as comfortable as possible and give him as much love as she possibly could. A trombonist, Carole decided not to play for a few days or played in the bathroom so as not to scare Graydon.
Little by little, Graydon learned that the trombone was not an enemy and would not come at him. Carole showered him with praise and frequently played with him and was soon surprised at how quickly he came out of his shell, even going so far as to sleep on her bed!
Eventually, he even became happy to greet some regular guests of Carole’s, and one day surprised her by going out into the hallway. No longer a scaredy-cat, Graydon decided to forego his hiding places and spend more time with Carole. He has even become jealous of her trombone when she spends too much time with it!
Graydon now rules the floor in his apartment building and was voted Pet of the Week. During the pandemic, he has missed having friends over but would greet delivery people at the door. He has Carole trained to play when he wants — and midnight is usually his favourite time.
Graydon turned 17 last year. He no longer runs and hides when there are visitors. His personality has come out and people cannot believe that this sassy little man grew out of the timid, shy cat that Carole first adopted. He is also very smart. If Carole receives a message on her answering machine while she is out, Graydon will let her know as soon as she gets home by meowing and leading her to the phone. What a smart guy.
Carole could not ask for a better companion — and is forever grateful to ACR for bringing Graydon into her life.
-Jennifer Varcoe