I recently read a post by @wakeupkitty
It reminded me that it's okay to show my emotions so I'm going to do that now.
A few months ago, my husband and I experienced the loss of a particular pet. He was technically my husbands but even he acknowledged that we had a special bond. I love every pet in our home and animals in general but our pet rat Silas was different.
Silas took to me very well which for some reason is not out of the norm for me. Most pets we get do tend to be drawn to me. Perhaps I have a way with animals, but I digress. Back to the topic at hand.
We originally got him as well as his brother from a pet store. When we got them they were already at least a couple years old and had been surrendered. We took them both home.
2 years later Silas had a stroke. He passed a few hours later. I have gone through the loss of a pet before but somehow his death hit differently. I have even had pets pass while I was holding them before.
Perhaps people will think I am crazy for this, but so be it. I know what I felt. The moment of Silas passing, it felt like a connection, some physical thread, snapped abruptly in me.
It still hurts, even now. I can't explain it, but something about his death was different. Some have said he was a familiar or spirit animal and a part of me wonders if that is true.
My grandfather used to tell me that animals will be protectors. They'll protect you mostly from sicknesses so if a pet dies first and you know the cause, it's likely that the owner should have been the recipient of that disease. I'm not sure how true it is but my family has lost a few pets before while someone is sick. What's good though is that all baby pets go to heaven so I'm sure silas is just up there watching over you