A Tribute to Sterling the Cat.....another animal story....a gift from God

My brother Scott and his wife Janet had a cat named Sterling. Sterling was a Siamese, very protective and ran the house for nearly 20 years, long time to live for a cat.
Sterling would do the usual things cats would do, but he had some real great qualities as well. When Scott or Janet would arrive home Sterling would hear the garage door opening, would run to the back door, climb on the washer and dryer and be there when door was open to greet his "parents."

Sterling had a mind of his own and if he thought he was being left in the house too long, while they were away on a trip, they would find little surprises like, forgetting where the litter box was while they were gone. Or, something knocked over and a mess made, to let them know he was still "king" and they better not forget it. It was his way of letting them know he was not happy being left for this long and they had better not do it again! Like any kid will do, they will try to find someway to remind you, "Hay! remember me! I am still here and don't you forget it."

Scott , being the pesty little brother he could be sometimes, would play rough with Sterling and keep him a little on the edgy side. Scott would say protective, not edgy. Scott trained Sterling to sit on his lap and if another cat or Janet would come by to sit next to Scott , Sterling would act as a "guard cat" and begin signaling through growling or arching his back, "you are not welcome here." The visitor would get the message and move on, even ,scratch, claw or bite if necessary, to make them move.
The protective instinct and love that Sterling had for Janet and Scott was demonstrated one night in 1995. Scott had cleaned the stove one night, probably a rare occasion, but he accidentally bumped a knob and ever so slightly turned on the gas unknowingly. They went to bed as normal, about fours later Sterling came into their bedroom and started raising Cain. Scott woke up with with a terrible headache took some aspirin and laid back down to go back to sleep, but Sterling would have no part of it. He got on Scott's chest and began slapping him in the face, meowing, saying in cat language "get up silly something is wrong." Janet woke up from all the commotion and said "I smell gas," right away they went to the kitchen and discovered one of the knobs turned ever so slightly.
Sterling had saved their life. He knew something was wrong , but did not know how to fix it, so he did the only thing he knew to do, go wake up the "parents."

Sterling lived for nearly 20 years, he was a great companion. He was diagnosed with kidney problems and arthritis, and had to be put down. To this day Scott and Janet talk fondly of their little "cat" and miss him every now and then. They have other cats but not one of them can ever replace Sterling and his heroic deed that night.

Animals are God's messenger sometimes and we should never forget that.

A Tribute to Sterling