A note to Chester’s Beloved Sponsors,

Nancy and Chester wrote your regular August update together before we knew “goodbye” was so near.

Nancy shares the details of Chester’s final days (and the next steps for your sponsorship) at the bottom of this update.

But first, we thought you would still want to hear from Chester himself one last time.

We can’t thank you enough for your steadfast, selfless love and generosity to our boy. You filled his year at Tabby’s Place with centuries of tenderness.

Love,
The Tabby’s Place Staff and Cats

 

August greetings, my sponsor friends!

It finally happened. I was declared clear of ringworm, and released from quarantine. They brought me back to Suite D, and to my beloved Sage.

I hardly recognized the place! I heard that the Suites were renovated, and new “feline forward” furnishings had been installed. But I never expected it to be so amazing. I couldn’t stop staring at everything. They must really love us to have gone through all that trouble to make such a wonderful room for us and our visitors.

I could hardly wait to explore all the cubbies and spaces. I wondered where my new favorite napping spot would be. Were there new toys too? But first things first…. I needed to find my Sage.

This was easier said than done. Several new cats had joined the suite in my absence, and I wasn’t being given the warmest welcome. I began to look for Sage, and was intercepted by one of the new residents who was not at all happy about sharing floor space with me.

This new cat, Angus, was preventing me from moving around the room. Who was this guy? He really had a problem with my proximity. Did I have steroid breath or something?

Obviously, he didn’t realize that I live here. He certainly wasn’t aware of my rock star status. We hissed it out, and eventually came to an understanding. He’s new around here, and I’m a very forgiving guy. I hope we’ll be friends.

With that settled, I needed to look around and find my girl.

Oh, how good it was to see her again. It was as if no time passed. My dream of spending days with her in the solarium was coming true. Heaven.

Heaven only lasted a short time. I developed a few open sores on my face. It seemed that bacteria were present. In an abundance of caution, the medical team put me back in isolation just in case. They took more cultures. At the risk of this having a familiar ring to it…. the test came back positive for ringworm again.

I guess it’s going to take longer for me to kick this permanently. So for now, I’m back on the medication regimen.

I heard some big news since I’ve been back in quarantine. They told me Sage has been adopted. Sigh.

I’m glad I got to see her before she left. I’ll really miss her. But her dream of finding a forever home, and a human to call her very own, has come true. Her happiness is important to me.

I’m not surprised to hear that Sage has already had a positive impact in her new home. Her adopter chose Sage so that her shy cat, Teddy, could have a friend, and she could have a cat to cuddle and pet. Teddy had a rough start in life. Even though he was safe in a loving home now, after ten months he still kept his distance and wouldn’t allow being touched.

A single day after Sage’s arrival, Teddy was spending more time in the same room as his adopter. Shortly after that, he started to join Sage sleeping in their adopter’s bed. As of yesterday, Teddy allowed his adopter to pet him for the first time. He’s become a whole different cat. Their home is a happier one because of Sage.

Sage helped me learn to love. Now she’s helping Teddy, and bringing joy to her adopter. I think she’s on the path of her best destiny.

As for me, I’m actually a little relieved to be in isolation while things calm down in Suite D.

Two new arrivals, Dr. Tom and Bill Wilkins  have been causing some tension. They’re having a tough time adjusting. By the time I’m back, maybe things will be peaceful, and they’ll want to be friends.

To be honest, I’m feeling blue knowing that Sage won’t be there when I return. Maybe I can channel this into singing. I think I’ll try country music. It’s safe to say that, like, 99% of country artists have recorded a someone’s lost someone song. It must be therapeutic.

Brooks and Dunn’s song, Neon Moon, really captures my current headspace. It helps to know that someone understands my heartache. You can watch a short video performance of it at the end of my update. It’s a great song.

Nothing rings truer than how much I appreciate you. I’ve needed so much help, and you’ve always been there to support me. I very truly thank you for that.

Love,
Chester

An important note from Correspondent Nancy:

I have very sad news to share with you. Our dear little friend has passed away.

It had been a balancing act to medicate Chester for both his skin condition and the ringworm infection. Additionally, the medical team was battling low platelets, diabetes, and a very angry liver.

Late Wednesday afternoon, our Medical Director reported that Chester had stopped eating and was very lethargic. With heavy hearts, the decision to let Chester go was made quickly so that he wouldn’t suffer. The entire Tabby’s Place staff gathered around him, lavishing him with love as he peacefully left this world.

Chester’s update above was written just before we lost him. I decided to keep it in his voice, because that’s how many of us knew and loved him: funny, affectionate, and still thinking about his friends even while going through so much.

He truly was a little rock star.

I’d like to leave you with two videos. The first is a sweet interaction with one of Chester’s favorite humans, Allison. Through the power of Tabby’s Place love, Chester evolved from a cat who was terrified of humans, to the love bug you see in the video.

Chester learned to trust, and came to enjoy attention from humans. And he fell in love. I have no doubt that Chester is free of illness, and happily making music with new friends while he awaits being reunited with the love of his life, Sage, at the Rainbow Bridge.

Chester was deeply loved and beautifully cared for. I’m so grateful to you all for standing by him, supporting his care, and giving him a circle of people who were always rooting for him. Your generosity made a big difference in his life.

His final music video is also below. Since Chester liked to leave you with music, it feels right to let him do that one last time.

With love and gratitude,
Nancy

***

Since Chester has passed away, your sponsorship has been transferred to another Advanced Needs cat: darling Deku, another brave boy with an exceptionally rare condition.

Deku was born with a delicate neurological disorder that causes him to wobble and occasionally become disoriented. But as the happy-go-lucky heart of our Lobby, Deku’s entire life is oriented around love. You can meet your sweet new sponsoree here, and look forward to his first update tomorrow.

If you’d prefer to choose a different cat to sponsor, you can meet them all here. Please feel free to email us if you’d like to transfer your support to a different kitty. Otherwise, going forward, you will receive updates on Deku each month.

Thank you again for your kindness and generosity to Chester. Your selfless compassion is our comfort as we grieve together.