Another chapter ends…

One of my beloved ratties has closed the book and moved on to a different one, and I miss her more than anything. In the course of eight hours, my cuddly, friendly, trusting agouti-brown rat dissapeared forever. It’s scary that death is so permanent, and scary I’ll never see her again. Olive was two and a half excactly when she passed away, and I’m so proud of how she handled everything.

On the first of July I was sitting by the window doing my maths, and Daniel (my brother) asked me to come over to the rat’s cage and check if Olive was okay. I shrugged and came over, confident it was nothing. But when I checked her teeth, I notcied they were horribly crooked. Dental issues are common in old rats, and I hoped the vet could do something. While Mum booked an appointment for later that afternoon, I felt a sick feeling it was Olive’s last day. Being two and a half already and noticeably old-looking, I wasn’t confident she’d return in the carrybox from the vet clinic. So, Daniel and I spent the day fussing over her, and giving her the best day ever, just in case it was her last with us. And if not, she’d just know we would look after her. A few nights before I’d offered her a pellet, and she wanted it, but she couldn’t take it. She couldn’t put the pellet in her mouth. Thinking it was nothing, I shrugged it off. But yesterday when I tried offering her a pumpkin seed and she was unable to take it and eat it or an oat, I knew something was wrong. Anyway, Daniel and I mashed up some banana for her, let her run up and down the hallway, sit on our shoulders, sit in the carrybox and smell new things while we walked around on the grass, have a warm bath and fish for peas (I had to smush up the peas becuase she couldn’t eat those either) and snooze on our laps. Then we took her to the vet and I was beyond proud of how she handled the new space, lights, sounds and smells. We saw the vet, Gabe, who put down Oreo for us, and he explained it was most likely a tumor in her mouth pushing her teeth out of line, since her lip was swollen. He said we could keep feeding her mushy foods until it got too bad or put her down now, and I didn’t even need to think. Letting Olive suffer with a sore mouth is the last thing I wanted to do, and I will never let any animal suffer in my care just because I can’t let go. It’s the reason some animals die in pain. So, I said my final goodbyes to the rat who showed me how to look after Maple and helped me through all the mistakes I made with her to give Maple a better shot. I knew it was coming, but I feel like it happened too quickly. This morning when I came to give Pingu and Maple their porridge for breakfast and there was no brown rat to come lick it off my finger, I just had to bite back tears. So there. Olive’s gone. But she taught me so many amazing lessons and I’m so lucky to have had her.

To Olive

Thank you so much for being the rat of my dreams. I hope you do whatever rats do in heaven and remember I’ll still be with you even if I can’t touch you ever again. Rest In Peace my darling girl. 🕊️🪦♥️🐀Love Stella