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The Viral Story of a Redditor Who Stuck by Her Ailing Cat for a Year

the daily dish More on PawNation: Cats, Health, Heart-Warming, Relationship, Safety, The Dish

By Catster Feb 05, 2013

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    As Valentine's Day approaches, we're reminded that love takes many forms. So, if you're tempted to be bitter, simply look around you — you'll find you're surrounded by love. Here's a story that's sure to make your heart melt.

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    When Reddit user Cheeseflash and her boyfriend adopted Chester, née Cheeto, they wondered what was up with the orange kitty. It seemed he could lie down in only one position. 

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    Also, he wouldn't eat, he wouldn't play, and he was always sick. From the first day, Chester was in and out of the vet's office with mysterious ailments.

    RELATED: Does Your Cat Get Depression in Winter? Light Therapy Can Help

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    After four months of inconclusive evaluations (and mounting medical bills), Cheeseflash and her boyfriend switched vets and finally got their answer — albeit, a challenging and painful one.

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    Chester had been hit by a car and suffered from a chronic diaphragmatic hernia. He required expensive and risky surgery to correct the problem and live a full life, so the little family piled into the car and headed to Washington State University to see what its veterinary school could do for the kitty.

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    The surgery was successful, but little Chester experienced complications afterward and came within inches of death. Cheeseflash and her boyfriend never left Chester's side, camping out in their car to be near the feline as he recuperated. 

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    The vets at WSU fell in love with Chester and even made him a little sleeping mask to help him rest. According to the vet, Chester had been living on the streets with his injury for nearly seven months.

    RELATED: 5 Ways to Calm Your Cat During Car Travel

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    Because of the complications following surgery, Chester needed two toes amputated. 

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    Cheeseflash and her boyfriend couldn't afford the surgery, so they crowdfunded the money they needed.

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    After a grueling year fraught with worry and expensive surgeries, the orange cat is now happy and healthy. Cheeseflash posted photos of the ordeal to celebrate his triumph.

    RELATED: Four Tips for Keeping Indoor-Outdoor Cats Safe

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    Next: 12 Home Remedies for Pets

    More Information from PawNation:

    Hernias can be tricky to diagnose, and they can cause your cat great discomfort. Hernia symptoms include lethargy, weakness, vomiting, heavy breathing, coughing and abdominal pain. A hernia is usually the result of a previous trauma, so it is important to closely watch your cat's behavior after an accident. The more serious the hernia, the more complicated the surgery, so take your feline to the vet if you have any concerns. Read on to learn more about hernias and felines from petMD. 

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22 Comments

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Roya Eshragh

Hey everyone. So this is my cat. He's doing better than we ever imagined he could be! The full story, plus lots more pictures and videos is at savechester.weebly.com. Thanks for all the nice wishes you're sending!

February 06 2013 at 7:09 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply
Lisa

Admittedly, I'm a cat person, but if you love survival stories like this, read Oogy by Larry Levin. My daughter found it in her school library, but it's a wonderful story.

February 06 2013 at 3:38 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply
Ellie

I can't find the story behind the sickness.

February 06 2013 at 11:52 AM Report abuse Permalink +1 rate up rate down Reply
1 reply to Ellie's comment
Lisa

you have to look at the slides, sometimes they don't readily load if you have a slow connection.

February 06 2013 at 3:36 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply
RJM

God bless his parents for ensuring Chester's problem was diagnosed and fixed. And kisses and hugs to that Chester kitty. Nothing I wouldn't do for my killer cat boy either.

February 06 2013 at 3:37 AM Report abuse Permalink +1 rate up rate down Reply
Virginia

I'm so happy to know there are people out there that have so much love in their hearts for our four leg children. I have two right now, my little girl Sassy who is 19 years old and slowing down can't imagine not having her in my life, Yoda who is about 11 and having some medical issues stressful and running out of money,but they are my children my companions. I would do whatever it takes to keep them healthy and happy as long as I can. God bless you and your kitties wish you happiness,health and wealth.

February 06 2013 at 2:18 AM Report abuse Permalink +2 rate up rate down Reply
lanio4

I am so happy your cat is better now. He is a gorgeous cat and looks so much happier now that he is well. That was a great story. So glad his parents stuck by him.

February 06 2013 at 2:08 AM Report abuse Permalink +1 rate up rate down Reply
crayzdab

This makes my heart happy. Chester has wonderful young parents who should be very proud of their devotion to their pet. If only there were more people like them. The world would be wonderful.

February 05 2013 at 10:28 PM Report abuse Permalink +1 rate up rate down Reply
rugabeast777

I love a story like this one. I have six cats myself and I love them all so much. I have a saying to people, " All my kids have a tail and four paws."

February 05 2013 at 9:42 PM Report abuse Permalink +1 rate up rate down Reply
tsqlou

Chester reminds me of my cat, Spencer. Spencer was an orange color too. We took him in, he had been either abandoned or lost. He had been declawed and fixed, so we know he previously had a home. Turned out he had cancerous skin tumors. We had him about 5 years, taking him for chemo treatments about once a month on the average. You would never know he had any health problems. He loved people, would run to the door when the doorbell rang, just like a dog! We loved him very much, he was such a joy. Sadly, he went to rainbow bridge last May, just a month after my husband passed. Chester is a lucky cat, having found such a loving family, and I wish them all a wonderful and healthy life.

February 05 2013 at 8:59 PM Report abuse Permalink +1 rate up rate down Reply
Damien G. Bartee

Aww! What big ol Baby !-- He look sooo healthy now! It really makes me feel good to see that I am not the only one that would do anything for my cats. Awesome Story!!

February 05 2013 at 8:33 PM Report abuse Permalink +1 rate up rate down Reply
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