Family is one less this evening...

[CAPP0]

MrsC keeps mice, as pets, and I must say that I do enjoy having them around, they are cheeky inquisitive little critters and (usually) quite easily tamed. They don't live that long, but one of the current group (which was 4 until we lost one around Xmas), who was in fact the boldest and would run up to the cage door in the morning for a sit on your hand and a peanut, had some kind of fit this evening and was in a world of distress, struggling to stay upright and regularly tensed/clenched up in apparent pain, so we took a one-way trip to the vet Sure, some will say that I could have dealt with that at home but when it's a pet, that's not particularly easy to contemplate so we took her in and they used gas, which would at least be peaceful for the little mite.

No particular reason for writing this, I'm just off to bed and I guess it's just on my mind a little. We're not totally devastated or heartbroken, (saving that for when the dog goes ), just a little sad that a small life has ended, but we did the best thing we could for her at the end.

[DUMBO100]

RIP

[bexVN]

Aww, I had a hamster go the same way. The vet thought prob some kind of stroke. They all have their characters so they all leave a gap when they go doesn't matter what type of pet. Some just leave a much bigger gap than others.

[Ray Luxury-Yacht]

Yeah, as said above - no matter how small, they're all little living creatures and all have their own little personalities and habits, bless them.

I am a cat lover, and it's always so hard and upsetting losing a little moggie - all mine have been such wonderful little friends, and given me so much warmth and happiness over their years.

But even the smaller animals like yours are the same. A recent girlfriend had a little mouse too - it was such a sweet little thing (despite me often having murderous thoughts towards it on a few nights when it's gleeful running around it's cage woke me up!) but I did love it for being a tiny, happy and alive creature, bless it.

It died suddenly one day - and I was so upset! I think that we're lucky and have a great responsibility towards every living thing on this planet - and should use our superior intelligence and intellect wisely when it comes to animals. It's an ignorant waste if we don't use it to look after and care for such small, defenceless creatures, no?

[Jasandjules]

Sorry for your loss. Your pet is still your pet.

[CAPP0]

Thanks all.

As Ray says above, we have a responsibility to those we choose to keep and that's the very thought we had last night and why we took the decision we did, for the best.

[Tattooboy]

Quite agree, doesn't matter whether a pet costs £20 or £200, they all deserve to be looked after and respected

[ali_kat]

As the others have said, a pet is a pet - being it mouse, spider, snake, cat, dog, bird or rock

[DKL]

They're all the same however large or small. And you miss them all the same.
We are currently convalescing a tiny mouse brought in by one of the cats. He seems ok and is eating so we'll let him go in a day or two. Cute little thing.

[carreauchompeur]

I had a dream last night my cat had died and woke up in a panic to find the little critter purring happily at the end of my bed.

They're not just animals, they are part of the family whatever size they are...