Paying Tribute To Christopher Arsenault - Happy Cat Sanctuary

Disclaimer: This is a deeply sensitive post for my fellow animal lovers.

I recently learned the existence of a truly selfless soul, Christopher Arsenault, whose life was tragically cut short. Christopher, the owner and founder of a beloved cat sanctuary in Long Island NY, lost his life while running back into his house to try and save the very cats he had dedicated the last 20 years of his life rescuing.

Christopher stumbled upon a colony of 30 sickly cats and kittens near the train tracks by his home — a discovery that would forever change his life, and the lives of countless cats in the years that followed. A retired NJ Transit conductor, he founded the Happy Cat Sanctuary in 2006, shortly after the heartbreaking loss of his 24-year-old son, Eric, in a motorcycle accident. In his grief, he found solace in the love of the animals he took in.

Christopher’s connection with the cats was profound. He nursed them back to health, and in turn, they began to heal him in ways he never could have imagined. “After my son died, those cats gave me something to do,” he told the Daily Mailin 2018. They became his refuge, and over time, the sanctuary became his life’s mission.

Christopher transformed his home and yard into a safe haven for his rescued kitties, keeping only a small eight-by-12-foot bedroom for himself, where he ate, slept, and lived among the animals he adored. In 2007, he expanded his mission, purchasing more land to provide heated perches, hammocks, and everything a lost cat could ever dream of. He spayed and neutered the animals he took in and spoiled them with roast chicken dinners, ensuring they lived in safety, comfort, and love.

In the aftermath of his death, Strong Island Animal Rescue League has found over 30 of the cats he cared for, some in critical condition, suffering from burns and smoke inhalation. Frankie Floridia of the rescue league shared that some of them even had burned whiskers and paws. But they will get the care they need, and their journey toward healing has already begun.

I’m paying my sincerest tribute to Christopher Arsenault. This is a name we must remember. This is the kind of soul that restored my faith in humanity, and I can only hope to be even a fraction of the person he was. His unwavering kindness, compassion, and dedication to these animals is something I will always admire and strive to emulate.

I am deeply grateful for the work Christopher Arsenault did, and while I want to honour and celebrate it, my heart feels shattered right now. I cannot believe he is gone. He lost his life, as did over 100 precious cats that had already suffered from abuse, neglect or abandonment. This is such a devastating and heartbreaking tragedy, one that I don’t think I’ll ever fully come to terms with.

You can find out more about the Happy Cat Sanctuary here.