Remembering Mr. Rusty (1982 -2007)

We lost our friend Mr. Rusty, today. Mr. Rusty was a male orange tabby cat who moved in with us twenty-five years ago. Mr. Rusty had developed stomach cancer in his later years. He was a very reserved and gentlemanly cat who handled his illness with dignity. His cancer had advanced to the point that it had robbed him of his strength and his ability to eat solid food. Mr. Rusty had wasted away to nothing, and toward the end he was miserable. He and we knew the time had come for him to go to his rest. Still, it was a hard thing to do.

I found Mr. Rusty some twenty-five years ago living in a drainage ditch in front of our house. He had moved into the pipe that runs under our driveway after some despicable person had dropped him off in our yard. They probably knew that my wife, Kay, and I were "cat persons." Mr. Rusty was about eight weeks old at the time. He was a very brave little cat. When I called to him he came out of the pipe, walked right up to me and introduced himself. We got along fine after that. For awhile he lived under our boat shed in a box I made for him. After a few weeks he moved onto our porch and finally into the house where he stayed the rest of his life. Our other cat at the time, Miss Button, who passed on a few years ago, at first could not stand the little orange intruder, but she, too came to accept Mr. Rusty and finally to love him. They were inseparable companions until Miss Button's death.

Mr. Rusty got his name from two sources. First, was his rusty/orange color and second I took the name Rusty from a NASCAR hero at the time, Rusty Wallace. Throughout his life Mr. Rusty was a good friend. He would greet me at the door when I came home from work. He talked to me, and we came to understand each other's language. He wasn't the brightest cat in the world, but he made up for his lack of education by being loyal and loving.

Mr. Rusty died a very peaceful death, today. When Dr. Ruehle gave him the shot that ended his life, Mr. Rusty did not argue or struggle. As Kay held him, he just closed his eyes and was gone. I hope that he is with Miss Button now. I hope that they are happy. Maybe when our turn comes they will meet us at the gates to heaven along with our other friends: Flat-Ears, Gray, Blackie, all cats, and Major and Mr. Spade, dogs, and Sweet Pea my childhood pet Guinea Pig. I hope so. Kay and I will miss you, Mr. Rusty. So will Mr. Jack.