09/03/2026
In Loving Memory of Rusty 🐾🌈
Rusty was a stray who showed up on my front porch one day in late June. I don't know where he came from or what his life had been like before he found his way to me. But when he arrived, I couldn't turn him away. I took care of him along with the other stray cats who depended on us for food, shelter, and kindness.
Then I noticed Rusty was losing weight. I trapped him and brought him inside so I could care for him, keep him safe, and try to help him put some weight back on. He ate, but despite everything I tried, he continued to lose weight.
On August 18, the day before my foot surgery, Rusty suddenly took a turn for the worse. I knew he needed more help than I could provide, so I reached out to Sarah, the director of Cali Cats Animal Rescue.
Sarah immediately stepped in for Rusty. She took over his care, worked tirelessly to stabilize him, and brought him back from the brink. Because of her care, Rusty began eating on his own again. She didn't give up on him, even when there were still no other signs of improvement.
Eventually, his blood work revealed the devastating truth: Rusty was in kidney failure.
Despite everything Sarah did to help him, Rusty passed away peacefully in his sleep overnight.
My heart breaks knowing that we couldn't save him. But there is something I will always be grateful for. Rusty did not spend his final days alone.
Because Sarah stepped in, Rusty knew what it felt like to be cared for when he was at his weakest. He knew a warm place, a full belly, compassion, kindness, and the gentle touch of people who wanted desperately to help him. Sarah gave him a fighting chance when he was already so fragile, and she stayed by his side when there was very little left that anyone could do.
I don't know where Rusty came from. But I do know that somewhere along the way, humans failed him. And sadly, Rusty isn't the only abandoned animal who has been failed by people.
God made us stewards of His creations, and far too often, we fail in that responsibility.
If you have a pet, please remember that they are not toys or possessions. They are living beings. They are God's creations, and they depend on us completely. They love us, trust us, and rely on us to keep them safe.
Please don't abandon them because they have grown up.
Please don't abandon them because they have grown old.
Please don't abandon them because they have become inconvenient.
They depended on you when they were young. They depend on you when they are old. They deserve to be with the person who promised to care for them.
Don't leave them on a cold street to fend for themselves. Don't simply send them away because they are old or because a shelter is overcrowded and they may not survive. They deserve better than to die alone, frightened and forgotten.
You owe them better.
No, I don't know where Rusty came from. But when he came to my porch, I was determined to give him a chance. And when I could no longer give him the care he needed, Sarah gave him that chance.
I will always be grateful that she was there for him.
Maybe we couldn't give Rusty the ending we wanted. Maybe we couldn't save his life. But together, we made sure his life mattered. We made sure his final days were filled with love instead of loneliness.
Until we meet again, sweet boy. I was blessed to have known you.
Run free, Rusty. No more hunger. No more weakness. No more pain. 🌈🐾
His name was Rusty.
He was loved.
He mattered.
And he deserved to be remembered.
A very special thank-you to Sarah, the director of Cali Cats Animal Rescue. Thank you for stepping in when Rusty needed you most, for fighting for him, for bringing him back from the brink, and for giving him comfort when there was nothing more that could be done. And thank you for doing this not just for Rusty, but for so many animals who have been abandoned and forgotten. Your compassion gives them something they may have never known before: a chance to be loved.
Rest peacefully, sweet Rusty. You were here. You were seen. You were loved. And you will not be forgotten. ❤️🐾🌈
