My name is Gus, which is short for Gusto.
Odd name you say? I'll tell you how I got it and who I am.

When I was little, I belonged to a family who really didn't want me.
If they did want me, they didn't show it.
I was always kept outside in the rain, cold and heat.
There were kids at that house and they hurt my sister and played rough with me so I didn't like them.

I would wander down the street and stay in the yards of other people and sometime visit other cats up there.
Some of the cats liked me and some didn't
but they tolerated me most times.
I was just happy to be away from my house.

One day I noticed I was all alone at the house where I lived.
There were no people, no food or water.
I found out they moved and left me behind.
I went all the way to the end of the street where I hung out before, and made friends with the lady in the corner house.
She wouldn't let me in the house but she fed me and gave me water.
I would sleep under her car and on her porch if it was not raining or too hot.

One day, she and her husband disappeared too. I found out they are what we call "snow birds" and head North for the summer and come back in the winter.
Before they left, they made arrangements with two ladies in the neighborhood to come over several times a day to feed me, give me water and pet me.
I really liked one of those ladies a lot!
I would watch for her garage door to open every morning.
I would perk up my ears and meow "GOOD MORNING" as loud as I could.
I would run over to meet her as she came across the grass to feed me.

Anytime she would come outside I was there waiting for her and my chance to rub against her legs and purr.
I got real brave and ventured into the garage and I would sleep under the car.
If she came out, I would run out because I wasn't too sure yet.

She and her husband had another cat and he was lucky enough to have a cat door to go in and out of.
A couple of times, I was bold enough to go inside and sneak Frankie's food.
That was their cats name, Frankie.
He didn't like it much that I was that close.
If he saw me, he would scream and chase me out.

One day I began to notice Frankie wasn't there anymore.
I found out he was very, very old and suffered a stroke and had to go to Rainbow Bridge.
I was very sad about that because we used to lay in the yard togther.

It was then I decided they needed a cat to make them feel better and who best to do that then me!

After about two weeks, the lady finally let me come into the house.
I would stay a while and then leave and never would I come in at night.
Well, after about 4 days, I decided maybe I would stay the night and that was all it took!
They were mine!!

I am so happy in my new home and have lived here now since May of this year, 2002.
I am very spoiled, eat and sleep all I want and have tons of toys.

They don't know when my birthday is and figure me to be a little over a year now.
I know when my birthday is but I don't tell them because that way I get a new toy every couple of weeks, just in case!!
Does that tell you what a smart kitty I am?


For two weeks I didn't really have a name. They would just call me kitty. That was okay with me as long as they called me!
I was playing really hard one day running around the room, attacking my toys, and jumped up and down off the couch in one swift move.
My mistress told my master "he does everything with such gusto, that is why I am going to call him Gusto, Gus for short"
That is how I got the name Gusto! I like it.

I have gained weight, my coat is shiny and clean, I've gotten a little more fussy about what I eat now.
I'm a cat, I'm allowed to be fussy!
Most importantly, I am neutered.

Things I like:
My new home - fish - treats - laying in the grass - chasing butterflies - milk - water only out of a drinking glass - cozy places to sleep - begging at my humans dinner time, hogging the bed at night - ALL my toys - running - jumping - my new family!

Things I don't like:
Thunder - rain - water out of a bowl - loud noises - kids - not catching butterflies - being told no.

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