Cinder, one of my older rats, died Friday evening, at about 1145pm. She was going to be three years old in June.
About a month after I moved here to Pittsburgh, she developed Hind Leg Paralysis, and over the last six months, her movement and body had deteriorated. She was unable to maintain muscle mass, no matter how much she ate or how fatty it was. Until last Sunday, she had been able to get around by scooting across the floor, pulling herself along by her front paws. And she seemed happy. She loved getting cuddled, eating treats, exploring the bedroom, and spent a lot of time bruxing and boggling her eyes. Even as she got thinner and thinner, she continued to show affection.
That changed when, last Sunday afternoon, i noticed that she couldn't hold herself up anymore. The disease had begun to spread to her upper body, and her arms were no longer strong enough to prop her up. She had to eat whilst laying sideways, although I often laid her on her back, in a sitting position, to eat. Still, she pushed to move herself across the room.
At that point, I knew a decision had to be made, but I also had exams to study for this week, so I put it off. On Friday, I saw that she hadn't moved since I left for school that morning, and that her breathing was slower. I took her out of the cage, and held her as Ricky and I watched movies. In the middle of the second movie of the night, she began to have seizures. She died shortly after.
She has since been buried in the back yard, next to the patio. I wrapped her in a small blanket I had crocheted, and marked her grave with a NERF gun dart.
I miss my baby girl, and I'm sure Possum does, too. She threw stuff all around the cage last night after we cleaned it.
May she rest in peace.
Cinder: June 19, 2009-February 10, 2012
