The shelter is a tough place for a pet to live. Even though shelters do their best to care for the animals in their care, it’s just hard. Whether they’ve come from a home or lived on the streets for their whole lives, the adjustment to shelter living is never easy.
Orange cat getting face pets. Image via Shutterstock / Vera Aksionava
If you’ve got a grumpy shelter cat in your life, don’t be surprised if they take a little while to warm up to you. Even if you’re giving it your all, it’s not going to be easy. Some cats are just spicier than others and there is absolutely nothing wrong with that.
For one sweet orange cat, he had the world’s spiciest resting face. He was so upset by life in general… Until someone made it clear that they loved him. Once that happened, it was all over for him:
Kayla and the Shelter Pups would have been so kind to this boy, I just know it. He deserved the whole world, and luckily, he got to have it for a little while. He didn’t get to go home with her after this, because it wouldn’t have gone well, but you can bet she was popping in for a visit whenever she could.
His name was Chester Cheeto, and he was easily one of the cutest kittens ever. He had a spicy resting face, which could have been because he was spicy or maybe he was just a mix of breeds that made him look grumpy. Whatever the case, he was the cutest!
Related: Stray Cat’s Pure Happiness Over Warm Cat House Will Melt Every Heart
Panleukopenia In Cats
Unfortunately, Chester had a disease: Feline Panleukopenia. It’s not uncommon to see in shelter cats, but it is typically fatal (especially if left untreated for a while), and Chester didn’t make it. He died a few days after this video, but his new best friend promised that he passed peacefully.
Feline Panleukopenia, also known as FPV, is a very serious but preventable disease. It mostly impacts young kittens who aren’t given proper care: they begin vaccines for it when kittens are just a few weeks old and continue to get boosters throughout their lives.
At least he definitely felt loved when it mattered. That won’t stop Kayla from caring for rescues, though. Now, she’s got another spicy kitten to tend to:
Chester would have loved her. Hopefully, someone will bring this spicy girl home forever!
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This story was originally published by Parade Pets on Dec 7, 2025, where it first appeared in the Pet News section. Add Parade Pets as a Preferred Source by clicking here.