in memory of Noah...

[ratcreature]

Noah
28.9.2009 - 21.11.2011

Noah was euthanized this afternoon. I held him in my arms as he got the injection and petted and cuddled him to the end. Much of the weekend I offered him his favorite foods, because the extra tasty special treats were the only stuff he was still eating (he still lost another 13g from Friday to today though). So he got cooked egg, cream of wheat pudding, whipped cream, small pieces of chocolate with hazelnuts... and I tried to cuddle a bit with him too, but he was always anxious to get back into the cage and just wanted to hide in his favorite spots.

Noah had lived with me since he was five weeks old, and he was a great companion and sweet natured dumbo rat with a gorgeous and very soft Russian blue coat. He'd come if I called for him, of course especially for food, but also for belly scritches and getting petted. Whenever I came to the cage he'd come forward to greet me too.

Of the three rats I got together last time Noah was the shyest one at first, so I didn't get good pictures of his earliest days with me, because he was camping out in a tube


However he very soon got bolder. This is him on the left, still tiny, with his brother Leo, who early on was more adventurous:








He liked their climbing tree and also liked shoving his nose at the camera (I have lots of blurry shots of his muzzle):


He got along well with Linus and Leo most of the time


and loved snuggling with his brother in various hammocks in particular


Sometimes they scuffled of course, and Noah usually was the one to loose. Then you could see him playing dead, submissive rat for some moments like so


He was less convinced than Leo of the merits of fresh strawberry (however he liked cheese more)


and of course loved cooked rice (which is why the plate is empty)


he liked rice waffle too




This is a photo I just took this morning, where you can see how thin he had become, how his coat lost some of its beautiful shine:


However I don't want to remember him sick like that, so here is my favorite one of him, showing him as he enjoys getting a belly rub from me:

Comments

[ratcreature]

He was a very sweet rat, friendly and affectionate. I just hope Leo won't take it too hard. I mean, he's been holding on despite his pneumonia for many months now because he's a fighter and has such a strong will to live, but now he doesn't have his brother anymore.