Every cat should have a loving family and a warm, safe place to call home. Whether that cat is feral and has a caretaker who feeds him and provides shelter or a pampered “princess” who wants for nothing and is valued above all others. Within those extremes, come folks like most of us-people who deeply love their cats and are devoted to their care and well being, come what may. Maybe we don't put rhinestone collars on our cats or feed them imported delicacies. Maybe we don't even have a cat bed just for them, our bed is easily shared, if not a bit too crowded.

When Chester was lost, then found again, he could never have survived his adventure without having a dedicated and loving family, supporting him from afar. They could have stepped back and said; “No. The Vet costs are too high.” or “He's an old cat, just let him go...”

But they didn't.

They stood by their boy when so many would have made an excuse and let him go. For that, they are the heroes in this story. I was just the lucky one to have found a lost kitty in the woods.

Yesterday, Chester's family got together to celebrate his homecoming. He's been back for just about the same amount of time he was lost in the woods. I'm told he's still a bit weak in his rear legs, but he can jump up onto his favorite chair and get onto the bed, too! He's eating well and happy to be home again.

©2010 Michael C. Rosenstein. Used with permission. The family portrait we were all hoping to see one day! Our dreams and wishes came true for this wonderful family.

Chester's family, from left to right: Frank, Chester, Frank's wife, Ruth, Michael, and Frank & Ruth's Daughter/Michael's wife, Nicole.

©2010 Michael C. Rosenstein. Used with permission. Chester with his mousey toy.

Chester has a Vet appointment coming up this week. They're going to see how he's doing and find out if there's anything that still needs to be done to help Chester's recovery. I'm told that Chester isn't a big fan of cat carriers, but hopefully he will be traveling in one, so he can get used to it!

©2010 Michael C. Rosenstein. Used with permission. His fur looks clean and thick. Chester is filling out a bit and livin' large on his favorite bed.

I want to hang on to this wonderful feeling forever, but I know that it's time for Chester to be with his family and for me to quit bugging them for updates. We have so many more cats to rescue, cats to find! (no luck in finding Cowboy!) and cats to raise money for so they can have a chance at finding just what Chester has had all along: a loving, forever home with a wonderful family.

Let's get to work!

Thank you to Vinti Singh for the excellent article she wrote covering Chester's Rescue! I was honored to be part of the story and it was fun to share his tale with the local community and beyond.

If you'd like to read the article, you can visit the newwtimes.com HERE

A week ago, I was just leaving the Emergency Vet's office after dropping off Chester, the 21 yr. old cat I'd rescued from being lost for almost 5 days of no food or water.

The second the Vet Tech found out I did cat rescue, she asked me if I could wait a minute. She wanted to show me a cat they were trying to find a home for. He'd been dumped at their door 3 months prior. His left front leg was deformed. When he walked, you could hear a distinct “thump,” hence his nickname, Thumper.

Thumper is a very outgoing and handsome cat. He's big, too, but only about 2 or 3 years old. He's still got a lot of “kitten” in him. I asked about his leg and the Tech said they had it checked out by a neurologist and that he couldn't say if it was from his genetics or an injury, that since he was comfortable and using the leg (instead of limping), that they didn't need to have it removed.

Thumper is VERY friendly and affectionate, as you can see here. He's curious, confident and interested in the world around him. He seems to get along with other cats and dogs, too. Because he's such a big, hardy, cat, he would be great for a family with kids.

Thumper spends most of his day in a small cage. A Vet Clinic is NOT set up as an animal shelter and the staff is constantly busy helping other cats and dogs who are have serious medical issues. Thumper's life is a lonely one and this big love-bug deserves to be busted out of that cage and with a family he can call his own.

If you're interested in adopting Thumper, please contact The Animal Emergency Clinic of Danabury, P.C. at 203-790-6383.

(This is in western Connecticut)

If only we lived in a world of good news, all the time...but some might argue the point and remind us that we could not appreciate the good, without the bad.

So with that, here are some updates-a mix of happy and sad news.

Last week, I asked for financial help to get three kittens (see below with the "rescued!" banners on their photo) moved from Henry Co. Care & Control to Henry Humane Society. With your help, the kittens WERE rescued, but are STILL looking for forever homes.

All these kitties are safe, but they still need forever homes! See my post HERE for more info about how you can add these cuties to your family!

The good news is that instead of raising $700.00, at last count we've raised $890.00! Henry Humane doesn't get donations this big and I can tell you they were shocked that SO MANY PEOPLE wanted to help them and they are SO VERY APPRECIATIVE!

Some of that money will go to the care and feeding of ALL the kittens and cat you see, above, and the vetting the newly arrived kittens will need, but the money also did one other thing...

It gave Betsy, our friend in McDonough, GA, the chance to do MORE! She made some space to rescue FOUR MORE KITTENS OFF DEATH ROW. They are now SAFE at Henry Humane!

What a crazy, mixed up bunch of babies! Each little muffin is safe and off death row. Next stop, combo tests and shots, etc., then off to Henry Humane to wait for their forever homes to find them!

Of course it's not all a bed of roses. There were thorns in this tale, as well. Last week Betsy asked for help to rescue a plain-jane, but sweet brown tabby and her two offspring. One was a little tabby, like his mama, the other a colorful calico. Two of them had a parasitic infection called wolf worms. It's a nasty and gross (and I'm NOT going to show you the photos of the kittens with their necks slit open to get the worm out), but it's completely treatable. The cats were making a recovery, but...

The shelter ran out of space. The family was slated to be euthanized. I did not think it would be right to share their photo with you, now that they are gone. I just don't have the heart to think that they only died due to space issues, not because they were too sick to recover.

Mama and son were put down, but...

They just couldn't euthanize the baby girl. When you see her face, you'll see why.

Her Mother and Brother were euthanized, but this little girl was spared at the VERY LAST SECOND.

As of last night, she was in DIRE need of rescue. I offered to take her into foster here in CT. While I was waiting to find out if I could help her, another local group called FurKids of Atlanta, GA stepped in and offered to rescue her. So...

This little sweetheart is SAFE and healing from the wolf worm infection and will be moved to FurKids some time today.

Every cat deserves a chance at a full and happy life. Getting a chance to find a home, shouldn't be like winning the Lottery. I hope one day I won't have to share such bittersweet stories with all of you.

And last, but not least...

This lovely lady, nicknamed, Arizona, who had almost NO CHANCE of being rescued out of Henry Co. Care & Control---because all black cats are the least likely to be adopted, will arrive at her forever home on SUNDAY.

If you missed the original story about this amazing rescue and want to read more, go HERE

Congrats, Arizona and ALL the kitties whose lives were spared thanks to the hard work and dedication of so many people who offered to get involved, stick their necks out, go without so they could donate funds, or take time out of their busy life to forward a post or email a friend who could help these cats. We all did this together and we all share this joy.

CHESTER IS HOME!!!!!!!!

Chester's family contacted me to let me know that Chester arrived at his summer home in Maine a little while ago. He already ate (a lot) and is resting comfortably. His mom, Ruth said his fur felt really nice and clean and that although he was thinner than before, that he was looking pretty good!

I'll have more updates in the coming days and maybe a photo of Chester and his family??? We'll see.

The one thing that's certain is...after all that he's been through...

CHESTER MADE IT HOME!!!!!

On June 20th, a few hundred feet from where Chester was lost, Cowboy also got away from his owners and ran off. His Mama, Flo is doing everything she can to find her dear cat. So far he hasn't been found. The problem is that he is somewhat skittish and is not going to just walk up to a person and ask for help.

If you live in Connecticut, near Newtown or if you live between Newtown and Virginia (hey, maybe he is trying to find his way home?) please keep an eye out for this kitty! He has a very distinctive black cap on his white head.

Yes, I looked for Cowboy a few times-again this morning. I saw some standing water, a lot of shade. I know there's food out for him, but the area is huge and he is nimble and able to go far, unlike our dear Chester.

If you do see/catch! Cowboy, please contact Newtown Animal Control at 203-426-6900.

I'm sitting here at my desk. It's 102°F outside. It's a bit warm in the house even with the A/C on, but none of that matters. All I can think about is Chester.

I just went to Dr. Larry's to visit Chester. It was quiet there today. The usual sounds of construction were thankfully absent. There weren't any clients. The mad rush had just ended. I wasn't sure I wanted to know how Chester was doing, but there I was, anyway. Lauren, one of the very nice lady-Vet techs, smiled when she spoke of how Chester was doing. I couldn't wait to see him.

Over night Chester had made some sort of great improvement. No longer laying down and eating out of the side of his mouth-he was sitting up and eating furiously. He was sleeping, not like a damp rag, spread out on a table, but curled up as any normal cat might do. Not only that, but when she brought him out for us to visit, I gasped when I saw him. He was standing on all fours!

©2010 Robin AF Olson. Chester looks like a cat again. Hurrah!

Chester is still weak. It's to be expected, but he was UP and reacting to being petted. He was looking around and appeared to be much perkier than even the day before.

I was simply, astonished.

©2010 Robin AF Olson. Chester gets a bit of help to keep him steady as they take his weight for the day.

I bought Chester a catnip mousy toy. This catnip is REALLY strong and there isn't a lot available to purchase. I felt lucky to get some. I wanted to see if Chester would react to it at all; another way to gauge how he's doing.

I should have brought him a napkin because once he got a whiff of the catnip he started to drool a bit! It was clear he liked it very much. Seeing him do something, so completely normal, something I would never think twice about seeing, was truly remarkable. This cat is a cat again!

©2010 Robin AF Olson. Chester digs his catnip mousy toy.

While Chester was rubbing against his mousy, Sam, Lauren and I petted him. His coat feels much cleaner and softer. Though he is still quit thin, he appears to have gained some weight. His eyes were almost zombie-like on Saturday and now they react in a more normal way. It was a blessing to witness this transformation.

©2010 Robin AF Olson. A little bit stoned from the catnip (the tail of the mousy is under his arm), Chester enjoys his pets.

I spoke with Dr. M., who works with Dr. Larry. She was also very impressed with Chester's improvements. I asked if he was going home tomorrow and I think there is a good chance of that happening. It's not for me to discuss or decide-that's up to his family. I might give him one more day of Vet care since traveling in this terrible heat might be very hard on him, but again...that is out of my hands. One way or the other, I think Chester will be home one day soon (KNOCK WOOD, no jinxing here!)

©2010 Robin AF Olson. Chester, you ARE amazing!

We had a nice visit with Chester. It may be our last before he leaves for home. I told him I loved him and that I was proud of him for doing so well and to keep up the good work. I could tell that he was getting tired and needed to rest more. He probably has a long recovery period yet to go.

©2010 Robin AF Olson. Chester loves the attention from his new friends, as he thinks of home and his family who are waiting to see him.

It dawned on me just as we left-that Chester has been receiving Vet care for almost as long as he was lost in the woods. In my minds' eye, I can still see his face, the eyes dark, his body unmoving, under that fallen tree, perfectly blended in with the dead leaves he was about to become part of, forever. For the rest of my life, I will never forget rescuing Chester and his remarkable recovery. There are so few things to be happy about these days. For once, it's nice to take a moment and have something to smile about.

Chester is out of the woods, in more ways than one.

Last week I got a plea from Betsy Merchant, our friend at Henry Humane. She wanted to pull three older kittens, get them spayed/neutered, get their shots and GET THE THE HELL OUT OF HENRY CO. CARE & CONTROL, who we know euthanizes 95% of all the cats they take in-young or old.

Last week, I asked YOU to help me help Henry Humane pay for these services by asking for donations of as little as $1 to as much as you could comfortably give.

You answered my request with grace and generosity. In ONE DAY we raised $700. Some of the donations were just $1, but we did it by the large number of folks who donated. See how awesome things are when we all take it upon ourselves to be involved?

That money will go to the continued care of the kittens below, after their vetting is complete, so they can be fed and have clean litter until the day comes that they are adopted. They are no longer on DEATH ROW because of all of us!

To adopt these cuties, visit Glory and Jefferson on Petfinder!

Not only that, but because we have EXTRA money, Betsy has been inspired by us to do more! She is looking to find another "Condo" (cage set up) so she can try to squeeze a few more kittens into Henry Humane, the little non-profit that stands by, trying to help as many as they can.

Put a smile on this boy's face! Visit THOMAS on Petfinder!

Betsy has more kittens and cats that need help. Some have been waiting years for a home. FOR EACH CAT WE FIND THEM HOMES FOR, then Betsy can PULL MORE CATS OFF DEATH ROW and bring them to Henry Humane!! These cats come fully vetted for $100. Which is SUPER cheap considering if you had all that stuff done at most Vets it would be a few hundred dollars!

You live too far from Georgia? Heck no. I'm sure we can arrange transport to your area. Just ask. It doesn't hurt to ask, right?

Here are the kitties who've been looking for a home for a LONG time! Let's get the word out and see if we can find them a forever home!

First up, the furry fun factory --- Patience and Prudence:

Patience

Her sister, Prudence

Next, Sabrina

Cinder

Not to play favorites, but...HOW THE HECK IS THIS CAT NOT ADOPTED??? Meet ARK

Another cutie...heck, they all are...Shadow Is he on the right or left? I don't know! I'd take 'em both!

Flower!

THIS CAT HAS BEEN LOOKING FOR A HOME FOR TWO YEARS. COME ON! WE CAN FIND HER A HOME! A TABBY FOR GOODNESS SAKES! THEY ARE SO FRIENDLY! Her name is Amethyst

Please, just spread the word on these kitties. All they ever wanted was a home to call their own. Let's help them find one! Thank you!

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?

Chester's family is truly devoted to their beloved furry friend. I've been told that they are going to cover any charges he incurs at the Emergency Vet Clinic and have already set up plans to make the drive to Connecticut from VERY far away in Maine, to get their boy back.

They're ready for him to come home IF he is stable enough to make the long journey. There is some pressure in that the Vet closes at 8 AM on Monday. They're only open when "regular" Vets are closed. The thought here is that if needed, Chester would either have to just go home OR be transferred into boarding or another Vet, depending on how he's doing.

I've offered to pick him up and foster him here for a few days if that is needed and Barb, another rescue lady, also offered her home in case Chester wanted to have a choice of locations (hee hee).

As of 5 PM today, Chester was described as being “OKAY,” which seems to be a step up from what I heard at 8 AM, which was “iffy.” I'm VERy hopeful the trend to improve will continue and Chester will be ready for the long trip when Monday morning arrives.

I plan on going over to the Clinic to pick up my cat carrier and to visit Chester, if he can have a visitor. It would be great to see him in a perkier state than I last saw him.

Please, dear kitty, know that your family is coming for you. Fight the good fight. Get some rest and may you feel fabulous tomorrow!