Rusty
I didn't have the easiest start in life.
When I was just a tiny kitten, I became very sick with a terrible case of feline calicivirus. My eyes were so badly affected that they were described as little squishy blobs of mush. Some people thought I would never recover and believed it would be kinder to let me go.
But one very special person looked at me and saw something worth fighting for.
I may have been tiny and poorly, but I was also happy, affectionate, and determined to live. So that's exactly what we did.
For six long months I had eye treatments, followed by surgery, and I had to stay safely indoors while I recovered. It wasn't always much fun, especially when all I wanted to do was explore the world outside. But eventually I was feeling strong enough to begin my next adventure.
About a year later, my damaged eye developed glaucoma and had to be removed. Once again, it was suggested that maybe I shouldn't keep going.
Once again... I proved everyone wrong.
Losing an eye didn't slow me down one little bit. Before long I knew every corner of the farm like the back of my paw. In fact, I became the self-appointed Farm Manager! Nothing happened without my supervision, and I was quite happy to have Ross working as my loyal second-in-command.
Those were the happiest years of my life. I spent my days exploring, greeting everyone, and making sure the sanctuary was running exactly as it should. I never let my difficult start define me.
Sadly, my adventures came to an unexpected end when I ran behind a moving vehicle and was accidentally struck.
My time was far too short, but oh, what a wonderful life I had.
I hope people remember me not for the challenges I faced, but for the joy I found in every single day. Sometimes the smallest cats leave the biggest paw prints on our hearts.
I'll always be watching over my farm... making sure everything is still running smoothly.
