Sometime during the wee hours of the morning on 7/14/04, my old timer
Critter left for the bridge to meet his long time buddy Rascal and his
shorter time buddies but missed just the same, Moose and Buster.
 
Critter was the start of my ferret addiction, my 30th birthday present
from my fiance.  We had a long standing joke/disagreement.  Me saying I
would have a ferret and he would buy it for me, he adamantly saying, not
a chance.  Well after about a year of this, he surprised me by saying we
were going to the pet store to pick my ferret.
 
It was love at first sight.  Critter was such a joy that on a bad day
at work, I would drive 25 minutes home to spend 10 minutes playing with
him and drive 25 minutes back to work.  Just to see his wonderful little
face would turn my whole day around.  I hated to get out of bed in the
morning, so Jim would put Critter under the covers and he would do those
baby ferret obnoxious things like toe biting, foot scratching so I
couldn't resist, I'd just have to get up and play with him.  Then after a
very brief time, Critter realized that it was a nice warm place to sleep,
so he'd just curl up beside me and go to sleep (So much for that alarm
clock).  So for the next 8 years I did not sleep without him curled up
beside me.  If I wasn't in bed at the usual time, he would put himself
to bed (my bed).
 
As he got older (about 7ish) he started declining.  He still made it up
to bed, if he didn't do it himself I'd help.  He started having accidents
in bed, but was miserable sleeping alone so I made sure that he had a
sleep sack and a towel to lay on so he was still on the bed, but not
under the covers.  My fiance and I bought a house in November with a
"ferret free bedroom".  So Critter had to start sleeping with his own
kind.
 
He was beginning to have trouble getting around, not eating well,
grinding teeth.  For over a year we tried every test, treatment,
exploratory and homeopathy to try to relieve his tummy troubles.  They
persisted.  I began hand feeding him months ago plain old TF and water,
his appetite improved greatly, but the rest of him declined.  The last
several weeks he could hardly move on his own and needed daily baths as
he wasn't getting out of his sleep sack quick enough to get to the
litterbox.  I also needed to put ointment on his tail as it was getting
raw from being wet.  I prayed for him to pass peacefully in his sleep.
I've helped a few ferrets to the bridge and did not want Critter to
suffer the stress of the needles etc.  I waited for a sign, but his
appetite continued to be good, he was strong but not coordinated enough
to travel more than a few feet on his own.  Every morning and night after
work I held my breath as I stuck my hand in his sleep sack to see if he
was still with me.  I didn't want to lose him, but didn't want to see
him miserable.  He didn't seem to be in pain or unhappy.  Just content
to sleep and be fed.
 
Sunday I noticed his breathing had sounded a little funny so I braced
myself and thought this is it.  But he still kept chugging on.  Monday
evening he didn't seem to want to eat.  So I thought, this is it...
Tuesday morning he was still with me.  I made the heart breaking decision
that I'd have to help him cross the bridge.  So Tuesday I made an
appointment with the special request of a non injectable sedative to
lessen the stress of it for him.  The appointment was for Thursday at
5:00 pm.  I went home from work heavy hearted, hoping against hope that
maybe my beloved Critter passed on his own, happy in his bed.  I got
home, reached into his sleep sack, his little head popped up looking for
dinner.  I went and made his dinner.  He ate quite a bit, probably about
1/4 cup of the soup.  I gave him his bath and wrapped him up in one of
his favorite sleep sacks and we snuggled on the couch.  I hugged him and
asked him why he was fighting so hard, Rascal was waiting for him and I
couldn't bear to watch him like this.  He gave a little Critter sigh and
snuggled deeper into the sleep sack.  I stretched out on the couch to
watch a movie with him curled up beside me.  Sometime after midnight
I drifted off to sleep with my Critter by my side.  I woke up around
4:00am and Stroked Critter's head, it was cold.  Critter had passed away,
snuggled up close beside me for one last nap.  Being 4:00 am it all had
a surreal quality, I tucked him into his absolute favorite sleep sack,
along with his favorite toy into a lovely box that I bought months ago
knowing that this was going to happen.  We buried him on that cold,
drizzly morning in our front garden along with the ashes of his dear
departed buddies.
 
I have the strangest mixed feelings, I am sad, missing Critter.  But
almost joyful at the way he passed.  It is exactly what I wanted for him,
both of us snuggled up on the couch for the night.  He died as he lived,
loved with my whole heart.
 
Rest in Peace Critter (5/7/96-7/14/04), you had a long and wonderful
life.  I'm so happy you and Rascal are together again.  We've been
together so long it's so strange not to see your wonderful face.
 
We send a bit of our hearts along with you, give our love to Rascal,
Moose and Buster as well.
 
Amy
SusieQ
Tequila
Vin Dweasel
Gus
Buster
[Posted in FML issue 4575]