Melrose Neighbors Mourn 'Mayor' Rusty

The following was submitted by Andrea Gilbert and Wendell Smith:

On September 6, 2020, Rusty, our ginger tabby dubbed the Mayor of the Cleveland and Florence Streets, was tragically killed in a hit-and-run accident. The announcement of his death on the Melrose Community Facebook Page prompted an outpouring of remembrances from friends and strangers alike. Rusty loved to visit with people on their porches and explore their houses (especially the kitchens). His go-to charm offensive was flipping on his back to expose his belly for rubs. We, along with our other cat and dog, will miss Rusty’s morning kisses, his teasing, and his calm and unruffled attitude toward life.

The comments on Facebook and the many in-person condolences we’ve received as we mourn our beloved pet have meant more to us than we can possibly express. We will forever be grateful to this community for the kindness and warmth with which they’ve treated both Rusty and us.

These are a few of the comments left by Rusty’s friends:

“We live on Cleveland Street and have adored Rusty for a long time.”

“Rusty comes and visits us a few times a week and loves lying on our porch.”

“Rusty lived across the street from me. I use to walk [the] dog and he would just follow me everywhere. He always tried to come home with me, when he saw my car pull up he would run down the driveway always wanting pats. And whenever I was having a bad day and would sit on the porch, sure enough he would come over with his little bell and sit with me. I’m moving in a month and my saddest thing was leaving him.”

“I love Rusty. He would roll on the ground and wait for belly rubs when I got out of my car to walk into my house.”

“My husband just told me the news and I'm actually crying right now. Rusty was adored by everyone on Florence Street and would actually go on walks with his owner around the block. Two summers ago, he came up on our porch and got some great belly rubs from my husband, who couldn't help but pet him despite his serious cat allergy. Apparently, he decided we were his new best friends because he spent every night of the entire next week loudly meowing at us through the screen window until we'd come out to play with him. I am just devastated by this news."

“Rusty was a special cat. He was the mayor of Cleveland and Florence Street. Seems as though he has been in all of our houses and always brought a smile to people’s faces. The kids cried when they heard and the walks around the neighborhood won’t be the same.”

Andrea Gilbert and Wendell Smith

Cleveland Street, Melrose