VILLAGE PET PAGES

Meet Coco and Gracie
The Adorable Feline Sisters Who Explore Hudson River Park in Style

By Joy Pape

While out early one morning, walking the Hudson River Park Esplanade, I noticed a woman with a stroller. I look closer and saw it was a cat! I greeted Nisha Melvani, a West Village resident, who told me she has another cat at home that she takes out too.

What are your cats’ names?

Coco and Gracie. Their names were Carbon and Graphite at the shelter where we found them. Coco was Carbon, a name I hoped to name my fourth child who we never got around to! Gracie, an old-fashioned name I liked, was Graphite. We got them when they were about four weeks young and they are now two years of age. They are sisters, who the shelter did not want to separate because they were a bonded pair.

They were in a rescue shelter run by someone who we don’t think meant to mistreat them, but just loved cats so much, she had too many. We later found out the owner was arrested for having too many cats.

We never had cats. We have three kids. One is now in college, one is about to go to college, and one is in high school, but we never had pets because the kids were so much work. I’m a nutritionist and decided that the cats should not eat dry food, only wet food, which means we can never really leave them. As a vegan, we hadn’t had any meat in the house for years. Cats have to eat meat to survive. It was uncomfortable to have meat in the house but I knew I had no choice. Sometimes I feel like I’m saving these two animals but not the others used to feed them.

What are their favorite foods?

They like eating the same things so I get four different types and they get a different type at each feeding. These are mostly chicken. I honestly try not to look too closely because it upsets me so much. My husband deals with that. I did do some research for purer foods. You can get the supplements they need to add to the meat, but I cook for a living for humans and don’t have the capacity to figure out recipes for cats.

When they were little, I wondered if they going to be stuck indoors all of the time. They need to hear sounds, but in our apartment there were no sounds unless you open the window. They need to see nature, just like I felt my kids needed to see nature growing up. I sent the kids to sleep away camps in the woods without electricity to experience nature. So, I started bringing the cats outside.

I started them on a stroller system and I take them out of the stroller on a leash and let them walk a little. Coco is very comfortable with it anytime. Gracie is okay with it at dusk, when less stimulating and a little darker. I still bring Gracie in the morning, but she just hides in the stroller.

I work from home so I’m with them all day. Although they say you can leave cats alone, I think they get depressed. Mine get upset when I leave for a long time, so they poop on the carpet to show me they are very mad.

Where is their favorite place to go?

I like to take them to the top of Little Island. I know animals aren’t supposed to be there, but they are in their stroller. People like looking in and seeing they are cats. In the evening when it’s more touristy, I hear the word “cats” in all different languages.

Do they get vaccinated?

Yes. They have all of their vaccinations. Now I need to check out flea prevention. They have both been spayed by the ASPCA in NYC.

Do they get along with other cats?

They are not good with other cats but they are good with dogs.

What would you like us to know about each of them?

Coco is very affectionate. She has a gentle personality and likes people. She’s also more adventurous. Gracie has a lot of anxiety. Coco looks after Gracie. Gracie is a little more reserved but really loving when she knows you well.

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Learn more about Nisha at CookingForPeanuts.com