WE LOVE YOU RUSTY!
November 17, 1995-July 25, 2010
November 17, 1995-July 25, 2010
It’s amazing to realize how much you become attached to your pets. They are more than pets, they are family. Today, we lost our wonderful Rusty. A purebred Maine Coon that we have had since he was 8 weeks old. He passed in his sleep at the age of 14.
He was our “gentle giant”. Fatherly to all the other cats that have come and gone through his years with us, and Romeo to the female cats that loved him. His way of settling a dispute was to raise his big paw, the others knew he meant business. That rarely ever happened, because not much ever bothered him.
His passion was to sleep and go outside to his fenced-in area. He never tried to escape; he was not that adept at jumping or climbing. But leave the gate open, and he would wonder around and explore the yard seeing how far he could get before being caught! When he wanted back in, you could hear his meows and you knew he was ready to come in, eat and take a nap.
He was very vocal, he could say “out” and “mom”. At least that is what we interpreted him saying. He always carried on a conversation, the more you would respond, the more he talked. I wish I would have known what he was saying; it would have been awesome to know what he was thinking.
I am worried how our female cat, Katie, is going to take his loss. She was always trying to get his attention and affection. They always slept together and he would groom her until they fell asleep. Last night, before going to bed, they were huddled in the corner, he was grooming her. I said to them, “What are you two love birds doing?” He paused from licking her ear and gave me one of his roars.
It was early afternoon that I found him in the same spot, cold and stiff and lifeless. It breaks my heart to lose such a wonderful and loving part of our family. He did have a wonderful life. I will cherish his memory forever. All his awards and ribbons will be a reminder of our Grand Premier XTC’s Rustaffa of Azeem. But more than that, Rusty will live in our hearts forever!
