A very sad farewell

This past week has been a tough one. A few weeks ago, Chester was missing and had not shown up for his breakfast or dinner. We assumed that he did what most outside animals do and wondered off to die somewhere which is all too familiar. Then we noticed a bad smell in the garage. Thinking that one of the two outside cats brought in a mouse and it died there, we began cleaning out the messy garage still  filled with both my husbands work supplies and my mom's things from her old house. 

On Wednesday night after I arrived home from work, my husband told me that he found Chester - lying dead on some coats in back of the garage. What a horror for my husband to have to see! He placed Chester in a bag and he will give him a proper burial today.

We knew that he was not well and that there was little more that we could do to help him except to make him comfortable. Our only saving grace is that he did not die SOMEWHERE ALONE outside in the harsh conditions of nature. He apparently came HOME to us to die. 

WE WILL HIM MISS GREATLY!!! The next day, I printed off some good pics of Chester and told my husband that these photos are the way he needs to remember Chester - healthy and contented!

Heartbroken ...

Tonight our hearts are breaking for poor Chester. Since we already have six house cats, we were never able to bring Chester in the house. The best we could do for him was give him shelter, a cat bed to sleep in, and a space heater in the garage. We fed him twice a day and took care of him the best we possibly could have. 

He began to come around about two years ago when my husband befriended him. We have no idea where he came from or how old he was, but we noticed the past few months (especially with the cold, ugly weather we have been having lately) that he, as with most outside cats began to age rapidly. He was having trouble walking - possibly arthritis (who knows?) and so we gave him Fancy Feast with turmeric mixed in with it to help him with his joints. He would sleep in the garage most days and nights on an old sofa cushion we have that he seemed to like and somehow managed to jump up on. 

A couple of times he would wander (not too far) and we would not see him for a couple of days and then suddenly he would show up and once again live in the garage. This past Friday night after we fed him he walked out of the garage and never came back. The Godforsaken snow came that night and we fear that he died outside somewhere because he never came back. 

Chester eating with his buddy Charlie.

I suggested bringing him in and keeping safe and warm in one of our large dog cages downstairs (away from the other cats) until winter was over but my husband said that he would not be happy living his last days that way so we didn't do it. I am regretting that decision now and both my husband and I are shedding a few tears over his loss. I only pray we gave him some happiness in his hard life.