Recently, my cat Dusti reached the grand age (in the world of cats) of 19 years. She was showing her age, and many of my friends remarked they had never met a more senior ‘looking’ cat!! She led a charmed and blessed life. Always an indoor cat, I am sure she only used 2 or 3 of her nine lives over the years. And she was never a ‘people lover’ cat. She finally allowed me to cuddle her for a length of time only in her last years, and really only tolerated Mum because she was a great food source when I was away. Mum nursed her through more than one bad spell and I am sure kept Dusti with us a few more years. Sadly, this year on the first day of Spring, we took our final trip to the vet’s office – a place that true to cat form, Dusti hated. She only weighed in at about 4 lbs – way too small! Cradled in my arms, she went to sleep for the last time – a hard day for everyone in my family.
My house sure is empty – her rather solitary and ornery presence is greatly missed. She was regularly waking me up at 6:30 am, demanding fresh food in the bowl, or colder water (even in the dead of winter), and we had a tenuous early am relationship, as any hour before 11am is really not a time for humans to be awake! I missed her sitting by my feet at lunch today, where she would inevitably wait for a scrap of meat from my plate (thank-you Granddad!)
So I wish to salute my friend and companion of 19 years – Dusti ~ November 4 1989 – March 20, 2009
Kayakate 