Remembering Rusty

Last Friday, July 3, my Better Half and I lost one of our most loyal feline friends. Rusty left us early that morning. We don't know exactly how old he was, but my best guess was around 10 years old. He adopted us about six years ago, when he showed up on my front porch. You could tell that he had a rough start to life. He was covered in scars from fighting with the neighborhood dogs. But, even with his fighting background, he always had a laid back style and a trusting soul. He never knew a stranger. He always met everyone at the door (whether he knew you, or not) with a hearty meow, as if to say, "welcome to our home". He was also my personal recliner buddy. Every time I kicked back in the recliner, he would jump up in the chair with me and curl up for a nice nap. Yes, he became overweight when he moved in and became an indoor cat, but I always told Better Half he wasn't just fat. He was fat 'n' happy ... and I truly think he was.

He took the kittens in, when they came along, and treated them like his own children. He looked after them and "corrected" them when they needed it, but he never acted out of anger toward them. Most of all, he taught them that it was okay to trust us (humans). I will never forget when the kittens first showed up, Better Half was trying to coax them into the house, but they wouldn't let her get too close to them. Rusty slipped out the door and disappeared into the bushes where they had been hiding. A little while later, here came Rusty with four kittens in tow right behind him. He led them right to the porch, and soon after that, Better Half was able to bring them in. Even after they grew up, they continued to look at him as a father figure. When Rusty got up to go somewhere, they all got up and followed him.

There are so many funny stories and good times ... fond memories that will live on forever. Rusty, you will be missed by all of us. We will never forget you.

-VoR-