I've been trying to avoid this thread, but...

lute, please be careful. As you know I have both huskies and cats. My higher prey drive huskies are never allowed to even see one of my cats. I have warned my neighbors who let their cats outside that if their cats come over here, they are dead and I will not take responsbility for their animal being on my property. If one of my dogs got out and killed someone's cat, that would be my responsibility. Check your local animal control by-law. In many places a dog that is off it's owner's property and kills or injures another domestic animal can be classed as dangerous and immediately euthanized--regardless of breed or situation. That's what would happen to my dogs if they killed someone else's cat while on a walk-about. Your cat would likely be much safer from your dogs in the house--not to mention safer from a multitude of other dangers.

Stop letting Gracie play with your cat at all. If her prey drive kicks in, it doesn't matter if you are six inches away, your cat is dead.

Huskies are pack animals. They are much more likely to show their natural instincts when they are with other huskies--their pack. One high prey drive dog can trigger another with no prey drive to hunt!

I take great care to make sure my cats are safe and it's still not enough. My cats stay inside, I have two doors on all entrances to my house just in case a door gets left ect. On May 26, 2005, I was gone for 90 minutes in the evening. When I left all 8 cats were inside and perfectly fine. I came home to find Dominique's broken body in the yard. I have no idea how she got outside. She was killed by the dogs she had lived in perfect harmony with for over five years. I've had some pretty horrid stuff happen to me in my life, but finding Dominique was the single worst moment of my life. That moment is forever seared into my mind. I miss her every day, I still cry for her every day. I have struggled to rebuild my relationship with my dogs every day. Almost every husky-cat owner I know has a story of their husky killing a cat. Ask yourself honestly if you will be able to forgive Gracie or Houston if they kill your cat? It's extraordinarily hard to rehome a confirmed small animal killer.

I adore my dogs, but it has been a struggle to remember that they were just dogs being dogs and doing what they have been bred to do for 1000's of years. I have forgiven them. I will never forgive myself.

I don't mean to deter you from a second husky if that's really what you want. They are wonderful dogs. But, trust me, you don't want to go through this, especially if you aren't fully committed to the breed. Good luck whatever you decide.