Musti

My earth-mother kitty

Growing up I had a cat named Musti, that is Finnish for Blacky. She was a pure black cat who was just a year older than I was. She was my best friend at home. She was there for me when I came home the first time, and I was there for her when she left this world in 1986.

When I was a toddler Musti was my constant companion. She would stay with me wherever I went she was there. My mom would love to tell me the story of how I would fall asleep on Musti and she would lay there and let me sleep. She would not move until I awoke. I firmly believe that is why to this day the purr of a cat as a physical effect on my body.

Musti was smart too. One day, while we were off at school and my mom happened to be home from work, she heard water running in the bathroom and thought one of us kids left the water running. She stomped up the stairs and flipped on the light to discover Musti crouched over the toilet. Taken aback by the sight she laughed out loud. This must have embarrassed Musti, because she never did it again. This could have saved us so much money on litter over the years.

As a child when I was mad at my mom or sent to my room for doing something wrong, I remember multiple times while I lay crying, face down, on my bed, cursing my mom, and my punishment, and there Musti would be nosing into the crook of my arm mewing and purring. She would help me calm down. And she would stay with me until I was over the anger and ready to join the world again.

Moving into my teenage years Musti was a wonderful companion, it broke my heart to watch her age, become frail, and eventually get so sick I had to take her to the vet to put her down. I was there with her when she left the world. That was the first significant loss in my life. I did it myself. No family member was there with me. I was seventeen. I still have an index card with her fur taped to it from that day.

I was very lucky to have a fur-family member that was the true definition of unconditional love in my life. Musti was my earth-mother. My confidant. My friend.

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