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Calling hours will be held from 4 to 8 p.m. on Wednesday, April 9, at Fairchild Sons Funeral Home in Manhasset, according to his obituary. The service will be open to close friends and family only, but plans are underway for a larger public memorial in the near future.
Lovingly known as "The Cat Man," Arsenault, 65, was killed early Monday, March 31, when a fire tore through his Medford home, which also served as the longtime headquarters of his nonprofit rescue, Happy Cat Sanctuary, as Daily Voice reported.
He initially escaped the flames but was seen running back inside—again and again—in an effort to save as many of the 300 cats inside as he could.
“He went into the sanctuary one last time, and didn’t come out,” wrote friend Jenny Ubinas on Facebook. “His blood, sweat, and tears went into this happy place for homeless cats.”
The fire claimed the lives of at least 150 cats, according to local rescue groups. Around 200 others survived. Suffolk County fire officials ruled the cause of the fire as “undetermined” but confirmed no criminality was involved.
Born in Port Jefferson and raised in Port Washington, Arsenault was deeply rooted in the Long Island community. A former auxiliary police officer and volunteer firefighter in Port Washington, he was also known for his athleticism, playing center field in local softball leagues and earning the PWFD’s first-ever “Golden Glove” trophy, according to his obituary,
Friends knew him as “TJ,” short for “Toast Jr.,” a playful nod to his perpetual tan. He was once a local business owner, famously rollerblading through town in a chicken suit to promote his Main Street restaurant, Pudgie’s Chicken.
His passion for animal rescue began in the most personal of ways—rescuing a feral kitten named Snapper from behind a local business. That one act of kindness eventually led to the founding of Happy Cat Sanctuary in 2006, which became his life’s mission following the tragic death of his son, Eric.
“Through tireless work and endless compassion, he created a safe haven where countless felines found care, comfort, and a second chance,” his obituary reads. “He was a true advocate.”
Tributes for Arsenault have poured in from around the world.
“Chris was the type of person so many of us in cat rescue aspire to be like,” one donor wrote on the sanctuary’s GoFundMe page. “He loved those cats with every fiber of his being, and put their needs ahead of his own.”
Another donor from Australia wrote: “No matter where in the world, us guardians of the animals must stand by each other.”
“He is a hero,” said another.
The GoFundMe campaign, launched by Lisa Jaeger of Jaeger’s Run Animal Rescue in Port Jefferson, had raised more than $770,000 as of Monday, April 7. The funds will go toward caring for the surviving cats and continuing Arsenault’s mission of helping wayward felines in need.
“Chris was a kind, caring, generous person and formed many long-lasting relationships in the community,” reads his memorial. “His passing has left a void in the hearts of many. His legacy will carry on.”
Arsenault is survived by his daughter Kristen, brothers Mark and Joseph, and sister Elizabeth Sheridan.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in his memory to Happy Cat Sanctuary or the GoFundMe campaign.
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