Cinder was my special boy.  He was a big Canadian silver mitt blaze male
with the most unusual markings on top of his head.  One half was striped
like a badgers and the other half was white.  He had the sweetest face
with expressive eyes that seemed look into your soul.  Everyone who met
him, fell in love with him.  Even my vet would sit on the floor and play
with him when we came in for check ups and shots.
 
He one one of my first two fur babies and he set out to teach me
everything I would need to know about ferrets.  He showed me how smart
they could be.  I remember trying to figure out how he was getting up on
my work table.  I hid around the corner to see what he would do and was
amazed to see him push a large cardboard box over to the edge of the
table and then go back and get the smaller one and push it over to the
larger box.  From there he just walked up the "stairs" to the top of the
table.  After that I made sure that the boxes they played with were small
boxes.  Good thing he never figured out how to stack the boxes!  lol
He was an excellent problem solver and kept me on my toes.  He taught me
patience, greater love, and how to stop and "smell the roses".  Something
I never really took time to do until I got him.  He loved going outside
and digging in the dirt and slinking through the grass and playing in
the snow.
 
He also taught me that ferrets will take you for an emotional
rollercoaster ride when they get sick, and how to be sick with patience
and dignity.  He never complained even through all the blood work, I.V.'s
and x-rays.  The vet tech's fell in love with him during that time, he
let them do what they needed to do without a fuss.  He hung in there for
four months.  During that time I feed him his meds and duck soup and
hoped, prayed, and cried that he would be allowed to stay with us.  There
were times that he would rally and perk up and I was elated to think that
there was a possibility that he was getting well, but then he would fade
and the hope would fade and the tears would come again as I contemplated
having to say good by.  He rallied for two weeks before crashing again
and this time I know from the expression in his eyes that this was the
final time.  He was ready for the bridge, but I wasn't sure if I could
let him go.  The day before the vets, we went for one final walk outdoors
with him wrapped in a blanket and I said my good-bys and told him about
the bridge and how he would be whole and well on the other side.  His
passing at the vets was very peaceful.  He died in my arms surrounded by
love.  Everyone cried, including the vet staff.  Cinder is buried in our
back yard with his brother.  He has left a huge hole in my heart, but I
have Bear now (another big Canadian silver mitt blaze male), who has
also turned out to be special and while he can never replace Cinder, he
has picked up where Cinder left off and I'm grateful for that.  He has
helped with the healing process.
 
Hugs and sympathy for all who have lost a fuzzy baby,
Cindy Michou and Bear, Misty, Mischief and Dusty at
Hiland Ferrets
[Posted in FML issue 5100]