Goodbye, Rudy.

"Rudy"
July 1995 - December 26, 2012

Rudy came to live with me way back in November 1995. I had been living at 110 Lamont for about a year, and my first kitty, Cindy had recently died. I missed her terribly so I attended a local pet adoption in search of a new cat. I came home with two male kittens, Rudy and Teddie. Teddie passed away over three years ago. Rudy seemed sad after his companion died, but he kept on going. Over time, he bonded more with Melvin whom he had always viewed as inferior. Eventually, he seemed to enjoy being an "only cat." He made a few trips with me to the cabin, and this picture was taken on his very first trip in June 2010. He liked it here at the cabin, but he hated being crated for the trip so I only brought him a few times.

On Friday, December 21st, I loaded Rudy along with Melvin and the Christmas packages, and we headed to the cabin for Christmas. I promised Rudy it was the last time he would have to make that trip. "We're moving to the cabin, and you won't ever have to do this again." He was quiet on the drive over and seemed to be handling it just fine. When we arrived, he settled in and ate his dinner as usual. But he seemed clumsy and unsure of himself on the stairs to the sleeping loft. By the next morning, Rudy was clearly very sick. I contacted the vet in nearby Royston where my parents and sister take all their animals. Rudy was hospitalized and received IV fluids and meds. When I visited him two days later on Christmas Eve, he was comfortable but still not eating. And still not himself. By the day after Christmas it was clear that Rudy would not come home to live with me at the cabin. I visited him one last time and held him for the final procedure. He was calm and went peacefully. I buried him here at the cabin, on a sunny slope at the base of cherry tree that holds a birdhouse Jack gave me for Christmas. I marked his grave with a piece of flagstone leftover from the wood stove installation. I laid a pine branch and a stem of pyracantha berries on top and said goodbye.