# R.I.P Katie - Brave little girl



## ration1802

Well, the battle was lost this morning and my brave old girl Katie joined all those waiting for her on the other side.

She came to me in January 2005 (4 months old) as a 'pick me up' after losing my first bought rat, Kain. She was my first hairless and I'm sure she got fed up with her first few months being spent with everyone here 'oooo'ing and 'ahhhhhh'ing at stretchy skin and wrinkles lol.

She took a while to settle in at home - we thought, originally, that she just an aggressive rat - inside her cage she was an absolute doll but outside while running around she would turn nasty and bite on a reasonably regular basis. It wasn't until my second bought - Abel - died and she turned into the nice quiet Katie that we all know her for, that we realised that she just didn't get on with him. Even being in the room with him put her on edge.

Since then, she's been the lovliest little thing you could imagine. Although, she would happily rip the throat out of any rat the came hear her (with the exception of Lou and T-Baby) and because of this had to spend her life as a singleton  I would have loved her to spend her time with the two sisters, but unfortunately they were far to unpredictable (and HUGE) to allow delicate little Katie to get caught up in the middle of some of their brawls. Katie did, however, love her daily 'sleep over' sessions as she got into her golden years.

She's been mostly healthy her whole life, we almost lost her once due to a nasty chest infection, and she almost lost an eye through infection (that darn eye was never the same since). Other than that, she was a battle axe of the rodent variety.

Recently. following a triple lumpectomy, she kept going downhill. We realised that she was suffering from a Pituitary Tumour - a vicious thing that left her almost immobile. Her last two weeks were spent under human care (aka me) and she was almost glued to my side - day and night - being hand fed and cleaned. But she never gave up - despite everything, she kept that fight going STRONG.

She never once lost that gorgeous spark that was Katie - and even till this morning she was trying to climb onto my shoulder, demanding her breakfast and playing little games with my fingers. 

I couldn't imagine having a better rat than my sweet little Kitty Kates. She was one of those independant, hold onto life with deep-sunk teeth sort, but she always made sure that her humans were well cared for. One of the things I will always remember her for is her free time, where she would run around with Lou and T, but every 10/15 minutes (like clockwork) she would come back to me, sit on my shoulder and give me a quick groom.

Although I can't find the sadness in my heart to grieve for her passing(right now) because I am happier for her sadness to be over, and that she can play happily as a healthy rat on the other side of the bridge - she will be missed. A part of me has left this world with her.










Katie - Oct 2004 / Dec 2007


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## rattieluver

I'm so sorry, but like you said she is happy now being a healthy rat while she waits for you on the bridge.


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## lilspaz68

Little nakie warrior woman knew when to stop fighting.

Fare well sweet girl across the water.

((hugs))) Ration. The relief almost makes you feel guilty but you definitely shoudn't.


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## twitch

i'[m so sorry for your loss ration, she was fighter through and through and knew when to let to let go. she will happy playing at the bridge while she waits and watches over you. i second lilspaz as well, you feel relieved right now that she has finally ended her suffering and in no way should you feel guilty about that. its because you loved her so much that you feel the way you do now that she no longer has to suffer.


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## crapola

i'm so sorry for your loss


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## ration1802

Thank you all for your kind words.

I remembered her nest in the sofa today lol - I haven't thought about that in weeks because she hasn't been able to run around after her operation. I'm going to have to clean that out and see what surprises my sweet old girl has left me in there.


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## Emster

I'm so sorry to hear about Katie  
At least you know she's happy and healthy on the other side and will always be with you and waiting for you.


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## Macabri

I am so sorry for your loss.


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## Squeak

I'm so sorry for the loss of Katie. I hope everything goes fine with the other rats and of course you. Katie sounds very brave, she must've have been a very good nakie rat. R.I.P Katie!


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## ration1802

Thank you everyone for your sweet thoughts 

Today I'm taking her to be cremated (well, dropping her off and will be picking her up during the week)

I managed to find a really nice crematorium who will take care of her for me;

http://www.sunnyfieldspetcrematorium.com/

 I guess today makes it all real, doesn't it?


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## miloandroxie

Awwwh. She sounds so sweet. I'm sorry you had to lose her. Like losing a best friend friend. I hope you and your other ratties are doing well and I'm glad you found a way to celebrate her life and remember her.


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## ration1802

She's well remembered in my house - that's for sure. My mum is even talking about putting up a special shelf in our living room to put her little casket.

The crematorium was small - a house with a couple of side barns. The man there, John, made the effort to allow me to place her in their Chapel of Rest, where she'll lay until tomorrow morning. Then tomorrow morning they'll cremate her for me. He asked if I wanted to say goodbye while I was there - but the last thing I wanted to do was bawl my eyes out in front of a stranger lol.

I took Ivy with me (for comfort and for Lou who is feeling off colour today, so Ivy came with the promise she'd tell Lou about it lol) and John had never seen a living rat (pet rat) before. He was amazed by her sitting in the seat of the car, being on her best behaviour. He had a good stroke (his first stroke of a pet rat too) and said he'll take extra special care of Katie because he knows how nice they are now.

He also said, interestingly, that in the last 3 years they've had maybe half a dozen rats to cremate - but within the last 3 months they've had 13!! Katie is their first hairless though.

I didn't quite know what to expect - but I'm glad with how it went.

Katie will be coming home for good on Saturday.

RIP little girl


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## rattusnorvegicus

whoah. i asked my parents when boogie died to get her cremated but the question didn't last for long. the answer was no. i wonder if there is a way i can cremate eskimo myself. you are very lucky to have such nice family who loves rats as much as you, my parents think they are gross and wont do a thing for them. i hope the cremation goes great. say goodbye to her for me.


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## miloandroxie

I think it's so great that they have these pet crematoriums. When my first rattie, a black hooded, Rusty, died I had her cremated. I just couldn't stand the thought of just burying her in my backyard. If you move, there's no way to take them with you if you bury them.


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## ration1802

miloandroxie said:


> I think it's so great that they have these pet crematoriums. When my first rattie, a black hooded, Rusty, died I had her cremated. I just couldn't stand the thought of just burying her in my backyard. If you move, there's no way to take them with you if you bury them.


I used to think just like that - so rather than burying them in my garden, my mum came up with the idea of getting large plant pots and burying them in there (with the intention of taking them with us should we ever move). But now we have too many pots in the garden!  (didn't see that coming)

Katie's my first cremation. I didn't know what to expect. But what I've found, so far, has been really good at this place. I'll find out how they 'finish things off' on Saturday, but they seem very respectful


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