Bauska Town Hall cat Rūdis received care; farewell came on 1 August

Recent weeks have brought speculation in Bauska about the fate of Rūdis, the ginger cat long seen as a symbol of the Town Hall square. Worried residents shared different versions of what might have happened to him. His caretaker Santa Rimševica has now stepped forward to clarify the situation.

Rimševica said that before 21 July several people contacted her out of concern for the cat's appearance and health. She arranged visits to a veterinarian and a cat groomer. On 21 July, the vet found that Rūdis's coat was full of lice and fleas and advised dealing with them first. The cat then went to groomer Inese Barojana for grooming.

The next day, Rūdis was examined again by veterinarian Līga Truntika of SIA "Līga-vet". The examination revealed a tumor under the tongue, making the tongue woody in texture. Because of this, the cat could no longer groom himself properly or eat enough. If he had stayed on the street in such a condition, he would likely have faced a slow, painful death, as he might eventually have been unable to eat at all.

Following the vet's advice, returning Rūdis to the street was not an option. He needed constant care, peace, suitable food and safety. He was therefore placed in an apartment, where he received care and could recover. As of the most recent update, Rūdis was still eating well, and as long as that remained the case, he would continue living indoors. If his quality of life were to deteriorate sharply, a humane farewell was planned on the basis of a veterinary assessment, rather than a suffering death outdoors.

Rimševica also thanked everyone who had donated money in a donation box at a shop. The collected funds, she said, would be used to provide Rūdis with tasty meals and the necessary care.

Sadly, the story took another turn on 1 August, when Rimševica announced that she had to say goodbye to Rūdis.