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tcpipMonte just died.
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caseopaya and I took him him out this morning to get some sun and fresh air. He hadn't been well, losing control of a hind paw, and going almost completely blind.
On returning home, he was most insistent that I hold him, high on my chest, resting his head on my shoulder. He didn't want to go anywhere else or want anything else. So for the better part of the past hour I was holding him, closely, listening to his strained breathing.
Suddenly, he coughed up blood and started breathing in coughing fits. This lasted a couple of minutes. The tough ol' rat, he wasn't going to go quietly into the dark, he would rage against the fading of the light. I had to tell him to let it go.
Then he died.
I'm going to miss the ol' fella.
caseopaya and I took him him out this morning to get some sun and fresh air. He hadn't been well, losing control of a hind paw, and going almost completely blind. On returning home, he was most insistent that I hold him, high on my chest, resting his head on my shoulder. He didn't want to go anywhere else or want anything else. So for the better part of the past hour I was holding him, closely, listening to his strained breathing.
Suddenly, he coughed up blood and started breathing in coughing fits. This lasted a couple of minutes. The tough ol' rat, he wasn't going to go quietly into the dark, he would rage against the fading of the light. I had to tell him to let it go.
Then he died.
I'm going to miss the ol' fella.
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no subject
Date: 2005-05-17 10:14 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-05-17 10:23 pm (UTC)*hugs* for you & the lovely lady.
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Date: 2005-05-17 10:23 pm (UTC)I'm glad you were there for him when he died. A recurrent nightmare at the moment for me is coming home from work to discover my elderly cat died alone while I was out.
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Date: 2005-05-19 04:18 am (UTC)Thank you for you kind words. Monte certainly wanted me to be there. I was fortunate that I'd decided to take the day off. I hope you can be there for your old cat, lovely critters that they are.
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Date: 2005-05-17 10:26 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-05-17 10:28 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-05-17 10:32 pm (UTC)Sound as though he lived a comfy and well-loved life, though.
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Date: 2005-05-17 10:46 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-05-17 10:48 pm (UTC)But think of it this way.
People who own dogs can't have 10 dogs at one time. We could have 10 rats.
So in the course of our lifetime, we get to know SO MANY different rats who touch us and teach us in many ways. How boring would it be to be stuck with the same old personalities day in day out for 15 years? Please. heh.
Anyhow.. I'm sorry.. I probably wasn't much help.
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Date: 2005-05-19 04:22 am (UTC)Assuming I live for another thirty or so years, and I have two rats every three years, that's another twenty rats personalities I can be introduced to... Quite a few!
It is grossly unfair that such intelligent creatures have such short lives.
(OT: And Joh Bjelke-Petersen lived on and on and on...)
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Date: 2005-05-17 10:58 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-05-19 06:19 am (UTC)Yeah, she takes the loss pretty hard :/
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Date: 2005-05-17 11:01 pm (UTC)I'm so sorry.
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Date: 2005-05-17 11:16 pm (UTC)Sounds like he wanted his last moments to be with someone he trusted and felt safe with, at a time when he felt his most vulnerable.
He might be another dead rat. But he was a rat who cared about you and you cared about. Nothing "just" or inconsequential in that.
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Date: 2005-05-19 04:24 am (UTC)It seems so. In many ways it was such a great honour to be the recipient of his insistence.
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Date: 2005-05-17 11:26 pm (UTC)*Hugs* to you both.
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Date: 2005-05-17 11:30 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-05-19 04:25 am (UTC)That would be lovely if you could find the pictures.
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Date: 2005-05-17 11:35 pm (UTC)*random hug alternative*
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Date: 2005-05-17 11:37 pm (UTC)For what it's worth, the cute little fella will be missed.
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Date: 2005-05-19 04:26 am (UTC)Thanks Loki, that made me smile. Monte had a bit of a Neil Young attitude I think. Better to burn out than to rust.
(no subject)
From:no subject
Date: 2005-05-17 11:38 pm (UTC)*Sympathies*
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Date: 2005-05-18 12:11 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-05-18 12:48 am (UTC)moo. sucks when pets die.
( ooh im chock-full of eloquence this morning *cough )
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Date: 2005-05-19 04:27 am (UTC)Ouch. That sucks. But it all depends of quality of life, and dignity - and, of course, in the case of humans, their express will.
It's hard making that choice for pets.
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Date: 2005-05-18 01:00 am (UTC)All things must come to an end, so new things can start.
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Date: 2005-05-19 04:29 am (UTC)Even as a humanist you can hope it and appreciate the idea for its aesthetic qualities.
Funny thing was several minutes before he died he climbed on to my knee (with assistance) to seemingly stare/sniff at something else in the room.
Terry Pratchet would appreciate that. SQUEAK!
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Date: 2005-05-18 01:06 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-05-18 02:22 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-05-18 02:47 am (UTC)At least you were there for him while he raged "against the dying of the light".
Thanks for posting the picture of him.
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Date: 2005-05-18 04:37 am (UTC)My thoughts are with the both of you.
No matter how long they are with us. it's never long enough.
*hugs*
(no subject)
From:(no subject)
From:no subject
Date: 2005-05-18 03:26 am (UTC)Sympathies to you.
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Date: 2005-05-18 03:29 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-05-18 03:56 am (UTC)