I met Gus when our cat, Scotty died.

Our remaining cat, Mandu, was lonely and I had mentioned to the Hope For Life Rescue Director, Pauline that my husband and I needed to find a young, friendly cat to be his companion. She suggested Gus, who was being picked on by another rescue cat.

Hope For Life Rescue had found Gus one morning in a box left by their doorstep, with a written note asking them to care for him. I will always thank them for taking him in and taking care of him until I could find him. Pauline said he was meant to be mine, and I believe this.

I came in to meet Gus, who turned out to be a gorgeous black kitty with Siamese features and a silver undercoat. He was incredibly sweet, so I took him home hoping that he and Mandu would hit it off.

It took a couple of weeks, but one day I walked in and found them playing together, just as I had hoped.

He followed me around and sat on my desk while I worked, he slept like a person, with his body under the covers and his head poking out, and was all around a wonderful cat.

However, during his first yearly check-up, the vet had discovered a congenital heart defect. It was severe and uncorrectable, but thanks to his medications he had six good, and very much love loved, months before he passed away.

Even though my time with him was short, I would not have traded it for anything. An artist made a drawing of Gus and I sitting on the beach looking at the ocean, with just the word Always underneath. That's how I will remember him.

I had also never had a black cat before, but now I will never go without one. They are the best of all!

I will always adopt and love a black kitty in his honor.