If love is blind...

You might remember the story of our blind cat Gracie?

Well, this is the story of Gilby - another blind cat which we believe is the long lost brother of Gracie. They move completely alike and they have a similar scanning head movement... 

I guess their way of sensing what's happening around them.

If Gilby is indeed Gracie's brother then Gilby has survived on his own in the wild for three years!! Quite how is a complete mystery. 

I first spotted Gracie almost three years ago and Gilby used to scurry off in the same direction as Gracie and up the exact same dirt track further up the mountain side. He even started coming inside the garden from the same side as Gracie did. That's 6 months ago. Back then he looked terribly skinny, dehydrated and unkempt. At that point he was just too timid to get close to and we literally had to throw food at him in the hope that he would find it before running off again. It was clear he came in the search of food but would always get too overwhelmed by fear when he heard us. 

But like Gracie he seemed to remember us and our place. And recently he started coming back. Maybe he was so "lucky" to have a summer of tourists feeding him because he seems to have become just a bit more used to human contact. But as it happens on Greek islands, tourists disappear this time of the year and Gilby obviously came to us in the search of his means of survival. Rebecca has now taken him under her care and I'm delighted to see how he is thriving and becoming more confident and now even responds to his name Gilby. We thought he should have a G name as we felt certain he was the brother of Gracie. So now it's officially Gilby & Gracie! Sounds sweet doesn't it!?

Gilby is showing great bravery. He now knows where the outdoor feeding station is in spite of all the other cats. And he's discovered where there's padded sleeping spaces. But he has also discovered that it is perfectly safe to just veg out right in front of us licking up the mild and warming rays of sunshine you get in Greece this time of the year. 

It's a very great privilege to earn the trust of a feral but there's something even more special when it's also blind. Gracie has given us her heart full-heartedly - her capacity to show us love - and receive it n return - is quite honestly overwhelming and most humbling. Gilby is firmly on the same path. A lot of kind and encouraging words are flowing his way each day - and now he is even getting used to feeling love through gentle touch. Very soon Gilby's true nature will be able to flourish. I am sure we will see a boy full of mischief - just like Gracie. But for now we just let Gilby find his own way. 

I don't know if Gracie and Gilby have a greater understanding of love because of their blindness but if Gracie's bounciness is something to go by then Gilby has arrived at just the right place. We have love in abundance and I believe this gentle boy is quite ready to have his heart filled with just that!! We feel most honored he has come our way.

For those not familiar with Gracie, then Gracie is the girl to the left in the top image. 

You can read her story here.