chestersmooshyface

[chestersmooshyface]

@ladydeathfaerie Thank you! I was texting with the vet's office manager to let everyone know that I was ok (because I was wailing with grief) and to ask how the staff was doing (because they also were shook up). She said they were all quiet for the rest of the day. They loved him, too and didn't expect this to happen.

@mbguy Thank you, and I understand! They looked so much alike! I'm like the parent who can tell the difference between identical twins :) There's something special about exotic shorthair cats. Chloe is with me right now - she follows me around a lot!

[chestersmooshyface]

I hadn't the heart or mental capacity for a long time to post about Garfield. I'll post some details at the end (from when I posted on Facebook) but he died as a result of complications from cancer. He was my best friend and it was a double blow after Chester's decline and death from the year before.

My husband wanted a companion for Garfield (when he was alive) and we adopted Chloe (gray and white). After Garfield died, we adopted Penny (red and white). Chloe is in some ways like Garfield - long body, bigger ears, longer tail and likes to climb. Penny is more like Chester but a little sassy and she likes to sit on our chests. Both are retired breeding cats from where we got Chester. Penny was born there and I can't help wonder if she's related to Chester - especially looking at her ringed red tail!

Garfield story is continued below (caution - very sad).

Garfield - continued from aboveThe vet was performing a very normal procedure (scraping cells from his liver to check for cancer) and the blood didn't clot (the liver has something to do with creating blood coagulants). He regained consciousness but had to be put down due to the internal bleeding. Surgery was a possibility but I was cautioned that he might not be the same afterwards; and by the time we discussed rushing him to surgeon it was too late anyway due to the bleeding.

From my Facebook posts

3/30/2023: I have some sad news. Garfield didn't bounce back from his procedure yesterday. He regained consciousness so he was awake when I saw him. But he had to be euthanized. I was there when he passed. He likely had cancer and his bodily systems were weakened as a result. I don't have all of the facts as to the "what" and "why", as he was getting tests to determine what was going on with him. Yesterday was really hard, as I was in shock and devastated and just really sad. 3/28/2023: Taking The Garf to the vet tomorrow (Wednesday) for an ultrasound. I took him last Thursday, because he used two litter boxes (one right after the other) and not much pee came out (not good for a cat). No UTI - but he lost two pounds since the summer and his abdominal organs are swollen. We heard back from the vet Sunday night that the x-rays showed "something", which could be a cyst. Lab tests were good, but the liver and spleen were not quite normal . My vet is not jumping to any conclusions (and he even hesitated to say it was a cyst).

[chestersmooshyface]

Hi everyone, I have really sad news, so grab a box of tissues. On March 28th, we had to let Chester go. He was such a special boy, as you all know. The hubby and I were all with him at the vet's office at the end. A few days before, Chester retreated to the bathroom and I set up one of his big fleecy blankies for him so he could be comfortable. Garfield visited him in the space and he and kneaded the blanket respectfully a couple of hours before Chester passed. I want you all to know that he didn't suffer and we let him to live as long as he could.

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For once, Chester moved his head at the right time and looked into the camera as I was taking the picture! 

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Yay! Cute backstory with these photos! Usually, Chester gets into bed with me first and then Garfield wedges himself in between us (to use his whole body to mush my arm, torso, and thigh). But in these photos Chester came on the bed after Garfield. I expected Garfield to chase him away, but he didn’t!

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These guys

Bedtime snuggles

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Chester update (picture of Chester in cone #2)

Hey, everyone. Chester had eye surgery in April (it was an “emergency” procedure, meaning that I took him to my vet in the morning just to take a look at his eye, and then I had to hustle to an animal hospital so they could operate and save the eye. He had a corneal ulcer). He had a follow-up surgery over the summer to trim the cornea that was grafted onto his eye, so the eye wouldn’t scar. 

Right now, he’s on cone number three as of 3 weeks ago - the right eye had fluid in it. At the follow-up for that appointment, the vet at the animal hospital informed my husband and I that both of Chester’s corneas are thinner than they should be, which could be some kind of immune response, and is why he is having issues with his right eye. She added an eye ointment for both of his eyes, to his current medicine regimen. 

Just a heads-up that I’m very burned-out (for a number of reasons), so I am unable to respond to your well-wishes. I know it’s a breach of Tumbler etiquette, but I have been posting about the boys on Facebook (it’s public). My FB page is https://www.facebook.com/jannad2 I wanted to write something in more detail here, but my brain isn’t firing on all cylinders, as of late.

[chestersmooshyface]

Reading your comments - and you miss Chester! He spent much of today in his fleecy blankie box while I worked. Such a sweet boy!

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Chester helping me work from home!

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Sleepy kitties!

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Mr. Garfield!

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Make those biscuits, and then you can rest!

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Garfield can fit into anything that Chester can!

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Super cat scratcher.

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Chester says “meow”.

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I’m going to post a bunch of photos of the boys. NO EXCUSES - I’m doing the WFH. Yeah, work can wait! The boys are doing very well. They are each on prescription foods for their “conditions” - Garfield’s food is to prevent bladder stone formation and Chester’s food to help with his kidneys and allergies. Chester is still on a number of meds (but no longer on the chemo).

[chestersmooshyface]

Chester captured as he was licking his nose.