Not on My Watch: Visiting Chester...and by the way....

There's been a lot of emotion wrapped up in searching for, then finding Chester. At first, there was dread and fear that we would never find him or find he had passed away. Then there was the fear that once found he would not survive the day, but...somehow he did.

I called the Vet a few times to check in on Chester's progress. Each time I called I had a knot in my stomach. This might as well have been one of my own cats, I felt such worry. I tried to steal myself against the possibility that my call would end in tears.

Baby steps. Chester is slowly improving. He's not going to bounce back as a kitten would, but considering everything? Heck, he is eating on his own and sitting up. That's great in my book.

So today instead of calling, Sam and I went to visit Chester. The knot tightened up as I walked to the door of the small clapboard building that housed the Animal Emergency Clinic of Danbury. There was a man sitting in the waiting area with a big dog. I wondered what was wrong with him. The person at the front desk was very nice and told us to wait a few minutes while she got Chester.

The Tech came out holding Chester in a blue towel. She told us to join her in the exam room. She gingerly put Chester down on the exam table. His back end wasn't too strong, so he laid down on his side. We both began to carefully pet him, not wanting to break his fragile form. He was just as skinny as ever, but when I slipped my index finger under his right front paw, he gave it a little squeeze.

©2010 Robin AF Olson, Chester on his soft towel being the proper host.

His paws were nice and warm. I rubbed his cheeks. He pushed back on my hand. Sam rubbed his rump and his tail wiggled. Every little thing he did was a miracle.

©2010 Robin AF Olson, Chester is still pooped, but is hanging in there.

Chester had a very familiar melancholy look on his face. It reminded me of my own cat, Bob Dole (who is finally doing better, by the way...). I wondered what Chester was thinking about. I'm sure he was missing his family.

©2009 Robin AF Olson, Bob reminds me of Chester and vice versa.

We spent a few minutes with Chester. I didn't want to interrupt his resting, after all, but I knew that some lovin' would also help him fee better. The Vet came in and talked to us about Chester. She felt he was doing well, considering everything. Then the Tech came back and took Chester away. I said good bye. I couldn't help but cry. I wondered what would happen when Chester's family came to get him. If he would make it home. If I would ever hear about how he was doing?

The vividness of all that happened with this rescue hit me hard...finding Chester was one of the best moments of my life. With all the rescue, the funds raised, the families I've helped...this one cat has really gotten to me. I can still see his face in my mind's eye, that face amid the brambles and brush, motionless as a statue, but with the still beating heart of a lion.

©2010 Robin AF Olson, My new buddy, Chester!

So in theory, the story ends about here. The family comes to get him and I go back to...what was I doing?

Then, two things happened.

1: The Vet Tech asked if she could show me this cat who had been dumped at the clinic. He has NO name. He is deformed or has nerve damage and they want to find him a home. Can I help?

©2010 Robin AF Olson, Who the Heck is THIS?

So here he is. I'll do more of a write up about him soon. He's about 2, VERY VERY friendly and needs a new home to call his own. He loves everyone. His left front leg has been checked out by a neurologist who said he can either take the leg or leave it since the cat uses it and doesn't seem to be hampered by it at all, so they decided to leave it. If you want to know more, you can call The Danbury Animal Emergency Clinic at 203-790-6383

2. While I was writing this post, Chester's Mom called me from Maine. She wanted to take me up on my offer to transport Chester to Dr. Larry for a few extra days of care. Chester's "Uncle" is going to pick him up on Wednesday and bring him to Maine to be reunited with his family and to get more Vet care as needed. They just want him stable enough to travel and the Emergency Clinic closes at 8am tomorrow, so it looks like this story isn't going to end here and I WILL be seeing Chester again, soon!

What will happen next is anyone's guess. I've got more cats to rescue and one cat to transport to Dr. Larry-who is recovering from an emergency kidney stone removal operation! AND..who had this done the day before his birthday! Oh, Dr. Larry we hope you are well this week and we know we owe you a birthday present. Would you like to take care of a geriatric cat I rescued? That would be fun, right? Okay, what about a nice bottle of red wine?...AND a geriatric cat I rescued?