Happy Birthday Rudy

HAPPY BIRTHDAY RUDY
Boy, it's amazing how fast time goes by ! Our youngest kitty, Rudy, has been
with us for 10 years, it seems like yesterday !
Rudy's story
A week before Halloween, 2001. I got a call from my husband saying to hurry
home from my exercise class there was a surprise at home waiting for me.
So home I went and there was this little tiny ball of white and black fur
squeaking away.
For about 2 weeks this little kitten had been living under a tree next to my
husbands work and he had been coaxing him out and finally he caught him. 
We think his Mom was probably killed or for some reason just never came back for
him.  Anyway the little guy had been living on bugs and whatever he could
forage. so you can imagine when I opened a can of cat food for him he just
started chowing down.  After a nice meal he curled up on my chest with my
hand over him and he slept like a little baby for about 3 hours, I never moved
and neither did he ! I never saw an animal sleep so soundly in my life, he
really must have been exhausted.  For days all he did was eat and sleep !
During this time my Dad was very ill and was in a beautiful Hospice facility,
and every day when we visited , Rudy came with us, traveling in a little basket
that had a cover.  You can not believe how much joy he brought to many sick
people every time we visited !
 In my Dads last few weeks of life we had many things to do and Rudy
joined us on all our errands. Of course at the time we were eating most of our
meals out and of course every where we went the basket was sure to go ! Not to
many restaurants in town that Rudy hasn't been in , don't tell anyone though
it's remained a secret to all those unbeknown restaurant owners for years ! It
was a very sad time in my life loosing my Dad, I never would have gotten through
it without my husband, who is the best in the whole wide world. and our little
gift, Rudy, who I am sure was a gift from God to help us through this bad time ! 
On Thanksgiving night, 2001, my Dad passed away.  10 years of joy this
little stray cat has brought to our lives, Happy Birthday to our little guy !