Chester

About Chester (Domestic short hair) in Champaign

Chester is waiting for you at Champaign Area Trap Spay Neuter and Adoption Program in Champaign, IL 61820. Chester is a special, unique soul. When we found him, he was essentially "shut down"--he did not know that people could be kind. He had had no real positive experiences in his life, or so it seemed. . . just a brief and dicey kittenhood and an instant plunge into the cat Hunger Games. Life is so hard for cats on their own. There are just not enough resources to sustain all of them, and they are forced to fight or be fought when seeking a scrap of food. During his time on the street, Chester contracted a retrovirus called FIV from another cat. This is really just a lower immune system, and Chester simply needs the same care as any Catsnap cat: an indoor home, good food, and prompt wellness care. Social cats with FIV often tend to be the sweetest because they were the ones who were picked on. It is commonly spread through deep bite wounds, and is not passed through casual contact in a household. Chester was not timid or resistant to people when found; he just essentially seemed to have given up. His paws appeared to be injured, and he had an issue with his eye. Life had been unkind, and whatever this place was where he had found himself, it could have him. Chester seemed rather surprised that the people who were offering his resources and maintaining his environment. . . cared about him. Since he didn't respond to much at first, it was easy to start petting him. From there, it only took a little while for him to learn that he loved these people! They would take the time to show him affection, petting and petting until he started "making biscuits," showing his belly, purring, and shoving his head into their hands for more. They would talk to him in soft voices, and while he could not understand English. . . he knew that their words meant that he was loved. Finally. For perhaps the first time in his life, Chester heard that he was valued, want