For many rat owners, losing one of their best furry friends is a very emotional and painful experience. Often times, friends and family may not understand the extent of your grief over the loss of a “rat.”
What they don’t understand is that you had a deep connection with your friend on a soul level and that he was a close friend, just like a human friend.
Please take heart and know that many pet sitters share this same grief when they lose a dear animal friend.
Many people have different ways of coping, so it is important to give yourself time and space to grieve in a way that only you can. Sometimes it helps to pay tribute to your friend by creating a pictorial record of his life or by sharing an obituary on a rat forum.
Do whatever feels right to help you come to terms with your loss. Give yourself time before feeling yourself again. It may take me about 2-3 months before I mostly recover from the loss of a raggedy friend. Having other rats to take care of also helps. They may also feel the loss of a close friend, so they need your comfort and presence to help them with their grief as well.
What helps me is knowing that these little beings had a wonderful life with me that they would never have had otherwise. And also, my own faith in a Conscious Loving Creator gives me the feeling that life has no end, but only physical abandonment of a material form that can no longer sustain itself.
Plus, the passing of your current rat (s) also leaves room for even more rats to come into your life and enjoy the love and wonderful lifestyle you have to give them.
Many people suffer so much that they say they don’t want another rat. Hopefully after a little time, once the pain is over, they will realize that although it was painful to lose their friend, they also spent many hours of joy and fun with them. And also the rats with them!
In the movie ‘Ghost’ the character of Swayze said at the end ‘You take love with you’. And I think that’s true. Love is invisible, and yet it undoubtedly exists. Just remember that each of your rats returns love to the Creator and returns it to the Universe. It’s a wonderful thought, isn’t it?
You are blessed to have met each of your wonderful furry friends and they were blessed to have met and shared their lives with you.
If you are really struggling with loss, share how you feel with the rat keepers on a forum such as http://www.fancyratsforum.co.uk who will understand and empathize with how you feel.
Or contact a pet battle counselor online.
One book that I recommend for open-minded people is ‘Animals And The Afterlife’ by Kim Sheridan. It is a wonderful book with many true stories from pet owners who have experienced messages or contact with lost pets. This book really helped me cope with the loss and the author has been caring for rats for many years, which made it particularly meaningful to me.
I have also experienced ‘contact’ with my rats on the other side of life, and that has made me realize without a doubt that life goes on.
“There is no death, only the abandonment of a form that temporarily incarnated the spirit as part of the creation game. The essence / spirit cannot die, it is around us within everything that becomes or form. It is energy which animates our bodies and is the Source of creation. It is what gives life to form or being and simply releases form when matter can no longer sustain itself due to disease or aging. dimensional existence, but life or spirit always Is. Forms will always come and go, but spirit / life is always, here and now, forever and ever. ” (Anabrese)
Healing wishes and love for you and your rats, wherever they are!