Chester the cat, filled my life with wonder!

As this day began to unfold, my kitty cat took her last breath. Chester the cat came into my life two decades ago on a cool evening in March as I was leaving a home on Chesterfield Street in Ferndale, where I had been visiting a friend. She was just a tiny kitten then and she wrapped herself around my ankle and sat on my foot. She had been wandering around for about a week on her own according to my friend who lived there. So, I always say that she chose me and I was so glad that she did.

She spent many years living with my Father as well and provided him much happiness and companionship through his final days. Chester (the name stuck, even after I found out she was a she, not a he) was always faithful, affectionate and a true companion. As a small kitten, she would sleep on my pillow, wrapped around the top of my head. In later years, she loved to sleep right on my chest and that is where she was when she took her last breath. In her life, she followed me around and sat nearby as I was doing day to day things. There were a lot of sweet little affectionate things that she did, like putting her paw right on my lips as I pet her, purring really loud and she would stand on her back legs doing her "pretty dance" as she waited for her food dish to be put down in front of her. In her final days, she really fought hard and even though she was terribly weak, she used what little energy she had to put her paw on my lip and a few times even pushed the top of her head into my chin and on her last night with me, she actually licked my face as if to kiss me goodbye.

On that night, back in 1991, I could not have imagined her living until I was almost 40 years old. I feel like Chester and I really grew up together. Of course, in human years, Chester would have been 97 years old. So, she surpassed me in her wisdom. I have heard some people say that animals do not have souls, I disagree. Chester has a beautiful soul. For the last four days, she laid on my chest just staring into my eyes and I could feel her spirit, her love for life. Chester provided years of wonder, warmth and companionship to me, my Father, my daughter and she will be missed. Her love and her soul will live on in my heart forever.