In Memoriam

Kasih Stuart
August 1993 - September 2010

Mouser extraordinaire Kasih Stuart departed this life on September 8, 2010, in West Jordan, Utah, following several years of I'll health. At her bedside were her adoptive parents, Charles and Peggy Stuart, and her physician, um, veterinarian, Rick Sickelsmith.
Kasih was born sometime about the middle of August, 1993, in Balikpapan, East Kalimantan, Indonesia, to a single mother (father unknown, even by her mother). Because of her beautiful tail (something unusual in Southeast Asian cats) she was brought to the people who would later become her family, as her mother had discovered a new litter on the way.
Because of the size of Indonesian rats, Kasih ignored them in favor of catching chitchats, small gecko-like lizards common to that part of the world. She was fond of playing with them and then disposing of the dead creature by dropping it into an open toilet. She never learned to flush. This was a time of study, learning and practicing the craft that would later be her profession. She also enjoyed playing with Misty, the standard poodle who was her adoptive sister.
In 1997, the family returned to their native United States, bringing Kasih with them. Her first distemper immunization caused an illness requiring emergency care, although she recovered quickly, in spite of the disgusting banana flavor of the medication. She swore she would never again eat anything that tasted of bananas.
Toward the end of 1997, Kasih became lost when she escaped from the house. As a newcomer to the Northern Hemisphere, she found the stars confusing. An encounter with a neighborhood outdoor cat resulted in a small scratch and a coating of blood from the other cat. Her adoptive parents rushed her to the vet in fear for her life, but the only treatment needed was a bath. The other cat was not seen for weeks. It was fortunate that Kasih had stayed away from the alligator-occupied lake.
In 2000, the family moved to Park City, Utah, where she remained for the rest of her long life.
Kasih was known for her temper and her suspicion of strangers, earning her the title "Cat from Hell." She did enjoy entertaining guests who were allergic to cats, however, by climbing on their laps.
Kasih enjoyed travel, visiting 18 states in her new country, mostly in the luxurious quarters afforded her by the family's fifth wheel. She especially appreciated trips to remote wooded areas, where the view from the window provided continuous diversion. During the summer, she often spent long hours on the back deck of her home, admiring (and occasionally tasting) the creatures attracted by the feeders. In the winter, she stayed in her fleece igloo or lounged in front of the fire, resting up for the next activity.
Mice were plentiful in her new home, and she spent the first few years there perfecting her technique, sometimes practicing on an occasional bird. Her favorite trick was to exact revenge on the cat sitter by leaving a dead mouse in the middle of the guest room floor, always feet up.
Kasih retired from mousing in 2008. The Summit Park Rodent Society held a retirement party, to which she was not invited, and mouse condos started popping up in the area.
This wonderful, sometimes-aggravating feline will be missed by her family. She is survived by her adoptive parents and her adoptive mini-poo siblings Rocky and Sunny. Her adoptive sister, companion and playmate Misty preceded her in death and will no doubt be welcoming her on the other side.
In lieu of flowers, donations to Best Friends Animal Sanctuary,
http://www.bestfriends.org/, are requested.



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