Chester

When I was gorwing up I had a series of cats named Kitty Comet.  I no longer remember when or where I came up with the names, but for years I had a gray and whilte striped female cat named Kitty Comet on after another.

Once I was married we had dogs.  As the mother of two boys I agreed that we needed a dog.  Fluffy, Snickers, Sable and their like have been faithful companions at one time or another for my husband and sons.  But I longed for a cat.  A housecat.

Finally for Mother's Day eight years ago my younger son took me to a friend's house to pick out a kitten.  My older son had married that Spring and my younger son was soon to join the military.  My husband and I would become empty nesters.  I thought a cat would be company for me in the evening while my husband worked. I had visions of a lap cat.  Purring as I read books or watched TV. My husband had put one condition on the acquisition of a house cat:  it could not be named Kitty Comet.

When we arrived to find a box full of kittens I discovered that none of the kittens were gray and white. (So much for my dream of another Comet type cat.)  The mama cat had eight babies.  Seven females and one male.  We picked up the male kitten who was quite active and playful.  My son just knew that he was the cat for me!  He was brown, tan, and black striped.  We named him Chester on the ride home.

Chester grew into a large cat generally 15-18 pounds at each vet visit.  He had to be kept on a "kitty diet" to keep his weight healthy.  Chester loved to lay on the beds, the couch or anyplace in the sun..  He napped.  He was not a lap cat, but a very independent sort.  He allowed me to pet him, but his favorite person was my younger son.  Each time my boy came home on leave Chester was happier and friskier than usual.  Chester would jump in his lap anytime it was empty. We all believed that Chester longed to leave with my son as he seemed to mope around for a few days after each visit.  When Chester died the hardest person to call was my military son.  They truly had a special bond.

And what happened to me, the lover of cats?  Well that's a story for another day.