Bosworth came into our shelter on 9/18/93. After many great years together, sadly he passed away on 6/25/02. His ashes were buried under a peaceful tree next to the shelter's sun/cat porch on Sunday,July 28, 2002. An engraved brick stating "Our Bosworth CWA Spokescat 1993 - 6/25/02" was placed over his ashes. Most of the staff and many of his close "human" friends were present to say their final goodbyes. His best kitty friend Charlie, along with the other shelter residents that lived with him in our Recovery Room the past 4 years, were watching from the windows of the cat porch. He will always live on in our memories and hearts. We hope you enjoy our favorite photos and memories of Bosworth.

My favorite memories of Bosworth - Each day He would watch me until I was not so busy. Then he would walk over to me, look up and meow. I would bend over so he could climb onto my left shoulder and he would close his eyes and purr as he would nuzzle my hair and ear with his moist nose and mouth.

When Bosworth came to the shelter he weighed 25 pounds. He was beautiful with his bright white coat and large yellow-green eyes. He was not a happy fellow at first. He caught a cold a few weeks after he arrived. His cold developed into pneumonia. I took him to see Dr. Nelson. I actually was prepared to have him put to sleep if Dr. Nelson thought he may be in too much respiratory distress. Dr. Nelson gave him some antibiotics and suggested I give him a warm bath. (His coat at this time was not so pretty. He had just about given up.) Well we went back to the shelter and I lathered him up and rinsed him with very warm water. I soaped him up again and rinsed him again. He actually seemed to really enjoy the hands on experience. I sat on the floor with him in my lap and combed his hair as I dried him with the hair dryer. He started to purr and we were best friends ever since.

Bosworth would occasionally choose some object, a pen, a kleenex, a dust bunny, a single piece of food, even a piece of paper on the floor and decide to pace around it, move it with his foot, while he would cry over it. Of course he would growl at the other kitties if they came near it. We would all just laugh at him. -- Mary H.

My favorite memory of Bosworth is of him laying in a basket curled up with his best pal Charlie Horse. -- Cindy Y.

Whenever Mary would see Bos and she was taking a break, she would say “Come on Bosworth let’s go for a walk”. No matter how bad he’d be feeling he would get up and go for a walk with his Mary. I think his pleasures in life were laying in the sun, being carried like a baby, and going for a walk with Mary. I’d like to think that Bosworth is waiting for that one voice at the Rainbow Bridge, Mary’s that says “Come on Bos let’s go for a walk”. -- Robin M.

When I think of Bosworth, I guess I remember the times when I helped him write the newsletter articles. He needed a little help with the computer, he had trouble with the mouse. Just seeing events in the shelter through his eyes and trying to get across his remarkable personality. He was a character, of course, since he was the "Great Bos". His paw prints will be hard to fill. -- Lorella M.

My favorite memory of Bosworth is when Dave and I walked him everyday in his red harness and the storekeepers along Indianola all came out to see him and say hi. That was fun. -- Bonnie D.

I remember Bosworth for the character he was. Sometimes he would be very sweet and want your attention. Other times, he could be a “cranky old man”. His face was one I would always look for at the shelter and I miss seeing him there. There is an empty spot in the shelter and our hearts for him. -- Anne R.

I am saddened to know that Bosworth has gone and left us here on Earth to our own devices. I still recall seeing the big guy lounging in the front window on my first visit to Cat Welfare nearly ten years ago. This was early in his tenure but even then he had taken on the role of greeter with great dignity if not enthusiasm. Soon after he would lobby to become C.W.A. poster child by burning his bridges to the outside world and leaving a trail of unused litter pans behind him. He knew exactly what he was doing. Bosworth obviously relished his role as "The Boss", but the shelter life sometimes made it a struggle for him to stay healthy. Although some cats never get sick in a shelter environment, others latch onto every passing virus. Bosworth latched often. And since he tended to do things in such a big way, his illnesses could be pretty frightening at times. But soon I came to see him as being indestructible. Even in illness he was larger than life. It's that quality that made him such a good mascot and drew many people to the shelter to adopt cats or pledge their hearts. Of course those of us who knew him best know he was what polite people might refer to as "colorful". Like many great leaders he had his flaws. But I leave the unauthorized biography to someone else. Personally, I was charmed by his quirks and found him to be the definitive caricature of catness -- self-absorbed, then demanding, then aloof --the voice, the face, the swagger all exaggerated to comic effect. He was blustery but touchingly insecure. He could be grand (striking a thoughtful pose from a lofty perch). And he could be grandiose (sprawling belly-down in the food tray eating everyone's lunch). Sometimes hard to like but always easy to love, it was The World According to Bosworth, and we were lucky to live in it for awhile. -- Dave D.

To read Bosworth's last newsletter Shelter Report and about how the angels asked him to help them at the Rainbow Bridge, click here

To read about the Rainbow Bridge and how rescuers help stray and forgotten animals there click here