Grieving dad takes in 300 cats after the loss of his son

If you dream of one day quitting your job and becoming a full-time cat person, you might want to model yourself after Chris Arsenault.

The retired train conductor has taken in hundreds of cats in need, building his own dang dream world for his feline friends.

He called it the Happy Cat Sanctuary and right now it’s chockers with cats.

The facility, located in Long Island, is massive.

It includes a main shelter and a big, open yard with specially-built fences design to keep the cats from climbing out.

There are fountains, heaters, air conditioners and a whoooooole lot of cat lounges.

According to a recent report from The Dodo, the sanctuary currently has roughly 300 cats.

But it’s not overcrowded.

“It’s so big that even if a cat isn’t that fond of others’ company, he can claim whichever area he likes as his own,” Arsenault told Dodo journo Kristen Warfield.

“The most important thing to me is that they’re comfortable and that everything is kept clean.”

But it wasn’t always like this.

Arsenault started rescuing cats while grieving the loss of his 24-year-old son Eric, who died in a motorcycle accident.

While dealing with the tragedy, Arsenault came across 30 kittens in a very bad way and nursed them back to health.

It was this during process, in the wake of such loss, that he found his calling.

So he opened his heart - and his doors - to felines in need.

Now, the sanctuary cares for cats that have been rescued from hoarders or abusive owners. And even poor kitties used as bait in dog fighting rings.

With their trauma in the past, the sanctuary gives the cats the freedom to safely “roam, scratch, lounge, and climb”.

“All cats are neutered, have access to vet care, and are regularly brushed and given lots of love and attention,” the sanctuary website says.

Arsenault’s story is now picking up traction after featuring on sites like The Dodo and college journos Anna Brooks and Kyle Kucharski making a doco short about him, which you can watch on Vimeo.

The sanctuary takes donations to keep the lights on and the breakfast bowls full, and adopts out cats and kittens to new, loving homes.

You can keep up with the facility on social media by following the Happy Cat Sanctuary Facebook page.