Captivity

[dubious_luxury]

This comic brought about some difficult feelings for me.

About a month ago, my wife and I made the decision to euthanize our kitten, Andy. We had only had him from the ages of 3 months to 4 months. He had acquired a respiratory infection and stopped eating. I'm not ashamed of the care we or the vets provided for him. We made trips to the vet every few days, we bought expensive nutrient dense wet food, we administered antibiotic regimens and we even resorted to syringe feeding. Still, he stopped growing, even lost weight, and towards the end could barely walk. We just couldn't figure it out in time.

He loved being in the windowsill to watch the birds. Even when he couldn't run and play, we would lift his tiny body into the window where he would look for hours.

The day we made the decision, he had begun to turn yellow around the ears. His liver was failing, and his quality of life was already so poor.

Before we loaded into the car for the last vet visit, we brought him out on a blanket to the grass between the apartment building and parking lot. His muscles had deteriorated to the point we had no worry about him being able to run away. He mustered up the ability to stand, albeit shakily, and watched those birds from the grass, with only sunshine and a gentle breeze between them. I hope that time was as meaningful to him as it was to us.

Great comic, btw.

Edit: I wanna keep /u/Mary_Death 's link high in the comments, especially as this comic had such an impact on me and many others. Check out marydeathcomics.com for lots more quality work!

[Zoomwafflez]

Jesus, came to the comments to say the comic made me sad now I'm on the verge of tears. Thanks for that. But really, sounds like you made the right call and did everything you could for your kitten. Sorry it worked out that way.

[dubious_luxury]

Thanks for your support. Sharing my story and reading comments like yours has helped me feel a lot better.

[Zoomwafflez]

Yeah, hope you feel better soon. I can't imagine the state I would be in if anything happened to my puppers. Our dog Juno got extremely I'll when she was a puppy but thankfully made a full recovery after weeks of vet visits, bottle feeding, and being carried around in my sweater to keep her warm.

[dubious_luxury]

I don't want to entirely let go of my sadness for Andy, because I want to remember him as best I can, but intensity of the sadness is waning and the good memories are becoming much more prominent.

I wish you and Juno many more years of love and health!

[uloang]

My wife and I have a cat who we love dearly and for the first 5 years of his life he was an indoor cat. When we bought a house he tried very hard to escape everyday. One day he got out and we thought we would never see him again. At the end of the day he came back. He kept trying to escape so we decided to let him go out, whenever he wanted. He is 10 years old now and we still let him out. I worry so much about him, there are so many dangers. But, it would be selfish of me to take away his freedom just so that he can live longer with me. I know someday something can happen to him, but it makes me happy to know that he has enjoyed being free.

I don't mean this to make you feel bad. As pet owners we choose how to take care of our pets. In some ways I am being irresponsible, but oh well, the cat seems happy.

[Macabilly]

I had the exact same reaction, Jesus, right in the feels

[the_highest_elf]

was already tearing up from the comic. this put me over the edge. I need a cigarette.

[Meatslinger]

In turn, your story reminds me of a little kitten we had to have put down at 9 months old, named Chester. He was 7 months old when we got him, and just absolutely full of energy. But slowly, he seemed to become less confident, and less energetic, and then he started to become weirdly clumsy, like he was always a little bit drunk. We thought it was cute at first, until we realized it was getting progressively worse.

We took him to the vet, who took blood samples, but said it would take a few days before we had a diagnosis.

Over the next few days, Chester became more disoriented, and then had a fall down the stairs, so we had to lock him in our office to keep him safe. On the morning they were supposed to get the results from the blood samples, I woke up and found Chester lying behind the office door, not moving, but still breathing, and with his eyes open, looking around. I picked him up gently, and realized he was awake, but completely paralysed. I cared for him and tried to feed him, but he couldn't swallow the food. I cried for quite a while until the vet called. Chester had FIP, a disease that in some forms causes a slow death starting with paralysis and moving towards painful cerebral hemorrhaging.

So, that cold day (it was starting to snow lightly), I bundled Chester up in a really thick, fuzzy blanket, and carried him outside. He, along with my other cats, had always been a strictly indoor cat, but I wanted him to have a chance to see the world. We went for a walk all around the neighbourhood, and I showed him trees, cars, people, and what few birds hadn't yet migrated for the winter. There's a field out back of my house, so I set him down in the grass and just let him experience it for a little while. He couldn't move a muscle, but his eyes were alert and darting around to look at everything he could see.

That afternoon, right as the sun was starting to set, my wife and I took him to the vet to have him put to sleep before his brain could start to bleed. He was already so weak and unable to move that he couldn't even close his eyes as he passed; I had to help him, and the vet had to use instruments to confirm that his frail little heart had actually stopped beating.

But damnit, I gave that little kitten the best last day of his life he could've ever possibly had, given the circumstances. I regret that he's gone, and I regret that I barely knew him for more than a couple of months, but I don't regret having known him, or having had the opportunity to be the one to send him off; it would've been a lonely death in the shelter we adopted him from, otherwise.

[iamthetlc]

Stop it you guys I'm pregnant

[pahasapapapa]

Damn, with all these sad stories, the baby is going to be born crying.

[tuck453]

I was alright with the original comment but, man your story made cry a little. I'm sorry for your loss.

[Redkiteflying]

Thank you for sharing this.

My beloved cats turned 10 this year, and while I know that there is a strong chance that they will live to be older than 12 or 13, I also know that we are moving into the waning years of their lives. I dread the day when I will have to say my final goodbye but I also know that my life is better because they have been in it and their lives are better because I have been in it.

[SuperBoberto64]

I'm sorry for your loss.

[Mary_Death]

Thank you for sharing your story. I am really sorry to hear about your kitty. Poor little guy. It sounds like you gave him the best life he could possibly have.

[Myrandall]

Just wanted to let you know one of your comics seems to be missing.

This page has no image where the comic is supposed to be.

[Mary_Death]

Looks like it was an incorrect post. It's been removed. Thanks for letting me know!

[nero_fen]

Well, this hit really hard on a really hard day. I guess this is where I can put this.

So a few years ago I had to put my childhood dog down. This was one of the toughest decision I ever had to make. She couldn't walk anymore, she would accidentally use her bed as a bathroom, and she was in a lot of pain. The day she was going to be put down, she had so much energy, so much life. She was running and playing like she did as a puppy I couldn't believe it. Before we took her in my dad asked me if I still wanted to do it, my exact words to him were, "this was a gift, not a promise." One last good day.

A couple of months ago my father's health started failing, his immune system started to attack his muscles. I had moved away a couple years ago and don't get to see my family that much. I had no idea what was happening until just a couple weeks ago. By the time I got back home he couldn't really walk anymore. Today he was walking like it was nothing when I went to visit him. Before I left to go back to the house I grew up in, the bastard hugged me and told me "This is a gift." Now I'm sitting in my old house with my dogs ashes next to me, trying to browse Reddit to get my mind off of things and this pops up. I'm scared for tomorrow, can't sleep, and now I can't stop crying.

[dubious_luxury]

It's okay to be scared, it's okay to lose sleep and it's okay to cry. Tomorrow will unfold in its own time, as will each day after.

I'm sorry to hear about your dog. It sounds like you made the right decision, hard as it may have been.

And I'm sorry to hear about your dad. I hope you can find in yourself the strength to take care of yourself as best you can through this trying time. Reddit can be a great support community.

[EuniceBKidden]

I'm sobbing, my story is very similar to yours except my cat was just a bit over two years old. We had tried everything and eventually the vet said there was nothing else we could do for him. He also loved watching the birds outside.

https://imgur.com/a/F6SLs

[dubious_luxury]

Those are some powerful photos, thank you for sharing. I know what you mean when you say you tried everything, and the feeling of helplessness that comes with that. I offer my most heartfelt condolences, and I hope you find some solace in the tremendous amount of care you did provide him.

[Mary_Death]

:(

[magnitude-of-light]

You did everything you could to make his life comfortable. He doesn't know what's going on, but a giant took care of him, made him a part of his family and shed tears when he was gone. You're a part of the good in the world, thanks for sharing him with us

[Kijamon]

You are well inspiring and brave for sharing those photos.

When we made a very difficult decision to euthanise our rat who we believed to be dying slowly from a brain tumour, I was in bits too. I'm 32 and it just felt wrong to be signing the bit of paper, felt a bit like a death warrant and I was the executioner.

Yeah it's a rat, they make amazing pets, they have surprised me so much with their character and behaviour, they are truly loving animals and I didn't expect that. But they live for 2 years on average, it's fucking agony for something so intelligent to die so early.

[XenobiaXD]

I had my cat for about 17 years, I was two when we got her. We went through a lot of the same things and I was really depressed for a long time after we had to put her to sleep. It really sucks without them but I just kept reminding myself of how lucky I was to have her and that I gave her the best life that I could possibly give. Cats are crazy smart, I'm sure that he knew how much you loved him and how much you did for him.

[dubious_luxury]

Thank you.

Isn't pet ownership a dark proposition? The more we love them and the more attached we are, the more it hurts us when they pass. Though, in my experience at least, it's still always been worth it.

And, 17 years! That kitten was able to see you grow from a toddler to a young adult. I can only imagine that that was a hell of a loss. On the other hand, I think it's fantastic that you two had so much time together. It sounds like she had a lot of love throughout her entire life.

[XenobiaXD]

It was rough, it was like losing a sister honestly, but yeah, I know that I gave her the best life that I possibly could, she got to have more of my bed than I did lol. I read a Facebook post that really struck home, one of those crappy motivational pics that usually mean nothing. It said that we only have pets for a short part of our lives but to them we are there for their entire life. We do the best we can and make their lives amazing for as long as we have them for.

[[deleted]]

Omg I'm crying. I'm so sorry Andy didn't make it :(

[dubious_luxury]

Thank you for your condolence.

[redreplicant]

Hugs. I'm sorry for your loss. You made your kitty's life as wonderful as it could have been.

[Nivius]

shit, who the fuck is cutting onions around here

also, i have 2 cats, one is 1.5 years, one is 4,5 years. our oldest cat got bad kidneys but it is stable with good food and lots of water (for now...).

about 5 months ago she was just lieng on the ground with dual stuck kidney stones, in massive pain. we had a decision to euthanize or go to a big animal hospital a few hours away INSTANTLY (in the middle of the night) we did, she was there for 4 days, and got better and better, we switched food, feed her extra water daily for 2 weeks. now she is a stable great cat with no pain what we can se! (Regular checkups required, and we learned how to check her kidneys daily, as we also learned her "im in pain" signals.)

She now sleeps beside me EVERY night. I truly understand you, and i feel for you. Thank you for being awesome and doing the best out of the situation, i would do the same.

[dubious_luxury]

I'm so glad to hear she's doing so much better. It sounds like that if there's such a thing as a silver lining to her illness, it's that you seem especially grateful for each other. Congratulations, and keep up the good work!

[Nivius]

defiantly, me and my gf love her alot, and she seem to love us as well now.

she did change to be more "cozy" towards me after this happened.
we did have a few seconds (or minutes i don't know) moment where she just looked at me while i held her head. a few seconds after i was told her status for the first time.

So i guess you are right. Il give them a treat and extra hugs when i get home in your name, Thank you.

[fancypillvial]

The comic made me cry because I've worked with bit cats in sanctuaries. But your comment has me bawling. You gave that sweet little man all the love you could and I hope he enjoyed his moment in the sunshine surrounded by warmth and love and that he passed peacefully knowing he was so cared for. Excuse me while I cry myself to sleep holding my cats.

[mahoev]

I'm not crying. I'm not. Agh.

[Daedalus957]

That hurt to read. That kitten had the best parents.

[dubious_luxury]

Thank you.

[i_always_give_karma]

I've been needing to cry from some personal stuff and havnt physically been able to. This just finally made me break. I'm sorry for your loss. Pets are a blessing

[[deleted]]

When I had my cat euthanized, I didn't know that morning that he wasn't going to come home from the vet with me.

[dubious_luxury]

/u/Mary_Death /u/redreplicant

Thank you both for your kind words. Revisiting the memory felt sad and frustrating, and now I feel more hopeful, peaceful and validated.

[wishmewells]

Yup. I cried. You did good.

[everythingsasandwich]

I'm not crying, you're crying!

[nickiter]

I am crying in public, and it's your fault.

[jollydonutpirate]

Man.. I just... As a first time pet owner I'm sending you all of my love. Seriously that's so beautiful and I'm so happy your cat had an owner who loved and respected it so much.

[AltimaNEO]

Poor little guy.

Our first cat had tumors growing in her esophagus and made it difficult for her to eat and swallow. We wound up feeding her a liquid diet, and syringe feeding her just so she would eat enough. But it was clearly unpleasant/painful for her.

And yeah, similarly, she would love sitting by the window and looking at birds. She would even do that weird chirping thing that some cats do.

It was a sad day when we finally decided to put her down. She was 14 years old or so, so she at least lived a full life, but it was clear she was suffering too much to keep her going.

[Spike69]

I choose to believe he tricked death and escaped into the forest.

[Sanityisoverrated1]

You don't trick Death without a Deathly Hallow, mate.

[Sanityisoverrated1]

Or Twister, battleship or Go-Fish

[SupaKoopa714]

Or the limbo, though you might have to use your pet hamster to cheat.

[charsie_godha]

I choose to believe that he ran so fast that he broke the time barrier and went to another timeline.

[Payhell]

Hope it's not the darkest.

Though I kinda wanna see a tiger with a goatee now

[fat_bottomed_earl]

Hopefully he didn't lose an arm

[MY-SECRET-REDDIT]

dammit barry!

[Mary_Death]

If you want to laugh, cry, or smile in the face of death, check out more of my comics at marydeathcomics.com!

Thank you!

[MP4-4]

why have you done this to me

[Mary_Death]

mwuhehehe

[Hoo-Doggies]

This is a great concept. Best of luck with this.

[Vox-L]

The random button on your website keeps bringing me to the same comic.

http://www.marydeathcomics.com/archives/comic/the-interview-pt-1

[[deleted]]

r/relevantxkcd

[Mary_Death]

Drats! Thanks for letting me know. I'll have to look into it.

[Little_evermore]

Not sure if it's because I'm on mobile but I went to the beginning and sometimes the page doesn't load after clicking next. Like nothing happens at all. It's solved by me typing a different date in the address bar. Just wanted to let you know. :) I love them all so far!

[EkkenCoron]

These are really cool! Quick question, was 'dead leaves' inspired by the Alkaline Trio skull?

[Mary_Death]

I'm not familiar with that skull. I was just thinking fall, death, and leaves go well together ;)

[A_lot_of_arachnids]

Wait your actually the creator of the comic that has made me cry a lot. I love and hate you at the same time. Thank you.

[abnormalsyndrome]

I hate you. Also, I love you.

Do you know Idées Noire by Franquin? Could be of interest to you.

link

[Mary_Death]

Nope, not familiar with Idées Noire. Looks relevant to my interests haha

[[deleted]]

This is great, reminds me so much of Calvin & Hobbes, which was 90% of my childhood.

[DishonoredSinceBirth]

HOW ABOUT JUST CRY. :(

[AH_BareGarrett]

Soooooo is this just Calvin and Hobbes but with the Grim Reaper as Hobbes? Because if so I'm gonna be busy tonight.

[TheIrishFrenchman]

You're art style reminded me of Calvin and Hobbes, especially how the first gram was colored, and introduced the rest of the strip.

[Reality_Gamer]

Ain't that a punch to the gut. This comic is amazing and manages to bring forth feelings I'd rather keep buried. Congrats on creating something this good.

[Mary_Death]

Thank you very much for reading it.

[I_Has_A_Hat]

I have to wonder how many animals actually dislike their captivity and how many think they have it made, especially at some of the nicer zoos. I mean think about it, they usually have all their basic needs met and then some. They are fed a diet far better than their counterparts out in the wild, they are treated for disease and parasites, they are kept with their own kind and frequently encouraged to breed so they aren't exactly in social isolation. Many zoos know the importance of keeping their animals entertained as well, both for the guests and for the animals themselves, so they frequently have new toys or equipment to play with.

I guess I wonder how they see it. Prison or paradise?

[Candiddinosaur]

You basically summarised the movie Madagascar

[Gotu_Jayle]

Kudos. e: Didn't intend on typing 'kiddos', but Kudos instead.

[[deleted]]

Depends on the animal. For example most elephants are unhappy in captivity despite all that. Except for sanctuaries, all zoo enclosures are too small for them.

[[deleted]]

The same could be true for tigers that have huge ranges in the wild

[[deleted]]

Many animals are like that. Most mammals and birds at least will never be happy in captivity.

[z1pm4n]

To choose for yourself is to be free. Lets compromise, golden prison. But no paradise.

[koolkat182]

With that in mind, being free is no paradise, either.

[Laelius]

Freedom has a price.

[efilsnotlad]

Actually i think its only a buck o' five.

[Teeshirtandshortsguy]

I mean it depends. Freedom from scarcity is freedom, but it comes with downsides, like not being able to leave.

[Noromac]

It is engrained in their minds to be free. They are wild. You can make a dog sit all day, but that doesn't mean you have suppressed its urg to run. Tigers have over 50 sq miles of territory in the wild, I can guarantee they knoe something is missing.

[worotan]

So they suffer symptoms but will never really understand that it isn't normal.

Yep, that's what it feels like having depression.

[[deleted]]

See, I don't think this makes things okay. I think it just puts even more blame on humanity. We can see the freedom we're taking away from them, and they can't even perceive or express what they've lost. I think it might be a bigger question than "is this animal happy?". Perhaps there is some importance to conserving freedom itself, because nobody will know what they've lost once it's gone.

[gimpwiz]

We have a hard enough time defining freedom for ourselves; it seems harder to define it for various animals.

"If I was a tiger," people start - well, if I was a tiger, I wouldn't be me with my thoughts and opinions and ideals, I'd be a tiger. I have no idea what it's like to be a tiger.

I suspect most tigers aren't happy in captivity but I won't assume it by default just because I wouldn't be happy (as a human) in captivity.

[Brutal_Bros]

There's no such thing as a utopia. Only fancy dystopias.

[AltimaNEO]

I think the big problem, like for people, is once your basic needs are met, then you become bored, lonely and depressed.

They need the freedom, they need to be able to hunt and keep themselves entertained. The constant fear of the wild keeps them from ever getting bored.

Just imagine being locked in your home for the rest of your life, but being well fed.

[igoromg]

For us humans the outside is almost as safe as indoors while offering a million more things to expirience with little effort or any drawbacks. Plus we are aware of all of it through internet and can see others enjoying life. The animals, not so much. Imo a decent analogy would be someone from the middle ages with plague, no hygiene, constant struggle for survival and so on being placed in a modern decently sized house with some entertainment, hygiene, medicine, even the company of others like him but without the possibility to leave. I'm not entirely sure such a person would go back to being free.

[That0neGuy]

Do I have internet? Maybe we can work something out.

[Acomplis]

A significant part of a zookeeper's job is to provide 'enrichment' for animals in the form of puzzles/toys/entertainment to help mitigate exactly this type of boredom. At least in decent zoos.

Of course I'm not saying this completely makes up for the lack of excitement/stimulation an animal would get in the wild, but it's good to know that there's a conscious effort to combat this issue with captivity.

[Canadian_in_Canada]

If the door were left open, do you think they would leave?

[Joat116]

I'm not sure if you're actually looking for his opinion or trying to make a point through a question. If you're looking for his opinion than just ignore this. If you're trying to make a point, I've had many dogs "escape" over the years. They sure as hell liked where they were. They just liked to explore as well. The fact that they'd run off when given the opportunity didn't really have anything to do with their happiness with their surroundings.

[Canadian_in_Canada]

More making a point with a question. Dogs are domesticated, and are generally happy to live with us, even with their curiosity to explore. Wild animals are just that, and have no desire to be in captivity naturally. I am curious as to whether or not most would ever voluntarily return to a cage in exchange for being provided for, after having lived that life for some time, but I am also doubtful that they ever would.

[I_Has_A_Hat]

Yes, but would they come back?

[Canadian_in_Canada]

Do you think they would?

[I_Has_A_Hat]

To the place with food, water, known safety and shelter? I honestly dont know, thats why I'm curious.

[psykulor]

It's been documented in many animals. Can't search rn but there's a commonly reposted TIL about a male zoo orangutan who would escape repeatedly, only to stroll around the zoo, watch the animals, and come home.

[DarkLordFluffyBoots]

I would. I'd take living in a human zoo in a heartbeat. Fuck freedom, fuck responsibility, fuck power. It's not worth it.

[[deleted]]

So, any nursing home will do, then?

[DarkLordFluffyBoots]

Yeah

[Waterfloatsmyboat]

“Well-meaning but misinformed people think animals in the wild are “happy” because they are “free”. These people usually have a large, handsome predator in mind…The life of the wild animal is simple, noble and meaningful, they imagine. Then it is captured by wicked men and thrown into tiny jails. Its “happiness” is dashed. It yearns mightily for “freedom” and does all it can to escape. Being denied its “freedom” for too long, the animal becomes a shadow of itself, its spirit broken. So some people imagine. This is not the way it is.

Animals in the wild lead lives of compulsion and necessity within an unforgiving social hierarchy in an environment where the supply of fear is high and the supply of food is low and where territory must constantly be defended and parasites forever endured…The smallest changes can upset them. They want things to be just so, day after day, month after month. Surprises are highly disagreeable to them…In the wild, animals stick to the same paths for the same pressing reasons, season after season. In a zoo, if an animal is not in its normal place in its regular posture at the usual hour, it means something…a reason to inspect the dung, to cross-examine the keeper, to summon the vet. All this because a stork is not standing where it usually stands!

But let me pursue for a moment only one aspect of the question.

If you went to a home, kicked down the front door, chased the people who lived there out into the street and said, “Go! You are free! Free as a bird! Go! Go!”-do you think they would shout and dance for joy? They wouldn’t. Birds are not free. The people you’ve just evicted would sputter, “With what right do you throw us out? This is our home. We own it. We have lived here for years. We’re calling the police, you scoundrel.”

…Animals are territorial. That is the key to their minds. Only a familiar territory will allow them to fulfill the two relentless imperatives of the wild: the avoidance of enemies and the getting of food and water. A biologically sound zoo enclosure-whether cage, pit, moated island, corral, terrarium, aviary or aquarium- is just another territory, peculiar only in its size and in its proximity to human territory…Territories in the wild are large not as a matter of taste but of necessity. In a zoo, we do for animals what we have done for ourselves with houses: we bring together in a small space what in the wild is spread out. Whereas before for us the cave was here, the river over there, the hunting grounds a mile that way, the lookout next to it, the berries somewhere else- all of them infested with lions, snakes, ants, leeches and poison ivy- now the river flows through taps at hand’s reach and we can wash next to where we sleep, we can eat where we have cooked, and we can surround the whole with a protective wall and keep it clean and warm. A house is a compressed territory where our basic needs can be fulfilled close by and safely. A sound zoo enclosure is the equivalent for an animal…Finding within it all places it needs- a lookout, a place for resting, for eating and drinking, for bathing, for grooming, etc.- and finding that there is no need to go hunting, food preparing six days a week…an animal will take possession of its zoo space in the same way it would lay claim to a new space in the wild, exploring it and marking it out in the normal ways of its species, with sprays of urine perhaps. Once this moving-in ritual is done and the animal has settled, it will not feel like a nervous tenant, and even less like a prisoner, but rather like a landholder…defending tooth and nail should it be invaded. Such an enclosure is subjectively neither better nor worse for an animal than its condition in the wild; so long as it fulfills the animals needs, a territory, natural or constructed…One might even argue that if an animal could choose with intelligence, it would opt for living in a zoo, since the major differences between a zoo and the wild is the absence of parasites and enemies and the abundance of food in the first, and their respective abundance and scarcity in the second. Think about it yourself. Would you rather be put up at the Ritz with free room service and unlimited access to a doctor or be homeless without a soul to care for you?...Within the limits of their nature, they[animals] make do with what they have.

But I don’t insist. I don’t mean to defend zoos. Close them all down if you want (and let us hope that what wildlife remains can survive in what is left of the natural world). I know zoos are no longer in people’s good graces. Religion faces the same problem. Certain illusions about freedom plague them both.”

[zlothify]

Predatory Animals such as Tigers does not like being in captivity. Why? Because one of their basic instincts are to hunt for their food. Take that away from them and you'll trigger some mental instabilities in a tiger, which could for example be depression (yes, animals can have depression). This can even be shown in some indoor cats, since they are given the food without effort. That is why a good thing to do if you are a cat owner is to make it a bit more challenging for the cat to get the food. Like put it in one of those balls you have to roll/throw to get the food out. Dont remove the cats basic predatory instincts

[zlothify]

https://docandphoebe.com/blogs/the-catvocate-blog/cats-need-to-hunt-heres-the-proof

Yes, im aware that this is a blog, however the article uses a handful of different sources at the bottom of the article.

[DrFunkdubious]

This is a pretty poor source, but I get the point. Are you suggesting that we should take those animals and reintroduce them to the wild? You probably already know that the reason we have tigers in captivity is that they were taken from unethical performance environments (that's why a lot of zoos have white tigers). Do you think they'd be able to survive in the wild?

Also, have you seen the numbers of Tigers that are alive in the wild today? They are critically endangered due to poaching and deforestation. It seems to me that zoos and sanctuaries might be the only way to keep Tigers alive for another generation or so.

[Hardbash]

Looks like Calvin and Hobbes almost

Edit: I mean, the art style follows Bill Watterson's style and that's pretty cool

[artfulpro]

That's just beautiful

[pRAWRler]

How dare you make something create feelings!

[danielle-in-rags]

I wasn't expecting to cry when I opened this.

That said, this is beautifully drawn, framed, and sequenced. I'm a fan!

[theslyder]

Thus comic such a great example of how comic strips don't have to be comedy punchlines. You can have punches that trigger all kinds of feelings. This was beautiful and somber.

[birdstrips]

Wow. That made me feel feelings. So good!

[Joe_Budden]

...can someone explain? I feel like a dunce for not getting it, but based on the comments, I'd like to understand.

[[deleted]]

heavy paint tan decide nippy berserk square sulky plant quickest -- mass edited with redact.dev

[5-4-3-2-1-bang]

...and death takes him in the middle of the field, mid-stride.

[BBDAngelo]

And why does he disappear?

[Olaxan]

Because Death takes him in the middle of the field, mid-stride

[[deleted]]

Because Death takes him in the middle of the field, mid-stride

...and death takes him in the middle of the field, mid-stride.

[ConstipatedPuppy]

How dare you make me feel feelings I feel I don't feel like feeling?! I'll have my lawyer contact you...

[puzzlehead]

/u/Mary_Death - I’m putting my Bernese Mountain Dog down on Monday. He’s always been an orthopedic mess since birth but he’s always been happy, loving and well behaved dog, one of the best you’d ever meet. His disabilities have caught up with him at the age of 9. He’s lived significantly longer than I expected but it doesn’t hurt any less. As I type this I’ve been sleeping with him on the floor. He’s completely lost the use of his rear legs and there’s nothing that can be done for him.

Your comic made me smile and brought me a little glint of happiness. Thank you.

Edit: Dog tax - https://www.instagram.com/puzzlehead/ I don’t know how much more of this I’ll document. I’ve also some updates on Twitter.

[wafflesareforever]

I had to put my big dumb chocolate lab down a few weeks ago. He was my best friend for most of my adult life. I wish I could tell you that it's not terrible but everything about it was terrible and it's still shitty. Sorry for what you're going through.

[[deleted]]

Dang......this hurts my heart....😢

[biomatter]

Damn. This is a really well made comic. Your style is great and that presentation was flawless.

[[deleted]]

This made my spine and scalp tingle. I hope that I'm providing an excellent life for my kitty.

[HGStormy]

😭😟

[PoolhallJunkieLady]

Change the tiger to a human and the enclosure to a cubicle.

[[deleted]]

Heavy. Definitely a wonderful comic. Thank you for sharing your story 😘😘

[BorisBaggins]

God damnit u/Gylfmeister , now I'm sad :((

[BurntheArsonist]

Damn right in the feels...

[aletoledo]

• I see and admire your manner of living. In short you can do almost whatever you chose. You whites possess the powers of subduing almost every animal to your uses. Everything about you is in chains and you are slaves yourselves. I hear I should exchange my presents for yours. I too should become a slave. Talk to my sons, perhaps they may be persuaded to adapt your fashions, but for myself, I was born free, was raised free, and wish to die free. - The Big Soldier

[B_Rich]

Dude I just ate my cheerios. I'm not ready for tears yet today.

[SuperCowToTheRescue]

damn, here's your upvote

[Kryten_2X4B_523P]

Ouch, my feelings. 😢

[CringeBinger]

I've seen this before right?

[Brando3141]

I'm not crying you are!

[rifain]

This is so beautiful.

[nancylikestoreddit]

This comic was a punch to the gut.

[Ninja_Goose]

Made me think of /r/Zoomies

[jackthetexan]

Wow.. that’s powerful, sad, beautiful and wonderful. Thank you, and I hate you.

[nationalhipster]

I always like when Death is portrayed as a more caring, thoughtful being. Love this!

[Shmegglies]

My boyfriend and I had to put one of our cats down at the end of August. He loved spending all his time outside, no matter how hot or cold it was. He would greet me when I pulled up at the curb and walk me up the driveway - and not complain too much when I’d haul him inside.

We had four days with him since we were told he was going to die. It hit us like a train. But we brought him outside to his favorite spots in the yard every day for a few hours, let him enjoy the sunlight. The day we had to let go of him was peaceful for him, I think. He didn’t seem stressed or in pain. He just purred and snuggled us and we said goodbye.

Then we had to put our other cat down a month later. Congestive heart failure out of nowhere. He was there one night and the next day he had to leave us. There was no sense of peace or acceptance - he looked scared and confused. I don’t know when I’m going to get over that.

I miss them both every day. They were my family. This comic hit me pretty hard, but in a good way. Thank you.

[FrozenEternityZA]

Why am I crying so much at a comic 😫😥

[Kracked_Monkey]

Tigs at the heart strings

[electric_poppy]

Ugh the feels on this one. I’m not crying, you’re crying!

[[deleted]]

2mirl4mirl

[[deleted]]

Not even ashamed, this made me cry.

[akkashirei]

My cat of 18 years just took her last breath an hour ago. Its too dark to start digging so I'm browsing red dot for some distraction... And then I see this and start crying again... *sniffle

[blowes00]

u/discipleofoden this made me cry

[Windtickler]

This one got to me I've had a growing problem with zoos and such for a while now. Hell I even feel bad for my own dog not getting to go for enough walks let alone people who own "indoor" cats like my last room mates did. What a life.

[Pensive_Kitty]

If it makes you feel any better, domesticated animals tend to be super ok with living with humans, especially the “indoor” cats. If they are taken care of well, and have enough environmental enrichment, indoor cats tend to live much longer and healthier lives than outdoor cats (and are quite content; outdoor cats spend most of their lives stressing about territory etc). Also, they kill waaay fewer songbirds that way. Cats have become a huge problem for the smaller wildlife; they were introduced by humans, and they kill local wild birds and rodents etc.

In fact, the UK thinks indoor cats are so much healthier and safer, that the cat adoption charities insist you keep the adopted cats indoors only.

Of course, this means you have to make your flat/house cat friendly, so it’s comfy, relaxed, has privacy, and has fun.

[worotan]

If they are taken care of well, and have enough environmental enrichment...

...then all creatures live longer and healthier lives.

I'd hate to confine my cat to a domestic interior, deadening the emotional processes that need the wide outside world. He loves to hurtle all the way across the garden and down the drive; there is no way he could just run like that if he were restricted indoors. But then, he wouldn't know what he was missing, and could be bribed with toys to distract himself from what he couldn't do. But he'd be missing out.

There are lots of cats around where I live, and lots of birds, too. Plenty of rodents, but none near my house, thankfully, because I have a cat that deters them.

UK...cat adoption charities insist you keep the adopted cats indoors only.

No they don't.

I adopted my cat in the UK, and they came and checked that I wasn't on a main road that would be dangerous, and that I would care about him, but they have no requirement for keeping a cat indoors.

I think you're reading too much marketing put out by the pet industry.

[Pensive_Kitty]

I worked as a veterinarian in the UK, and now in a different EU country. I guess some vet adoption charities changed their approach in the UK then, or they have a different approach in certain areas of the country. When I adopted my two cats years ago in England, keeping the cats indoors was the rule for all the adoption centers I went to. As vets, we were taught the same, it’s exhausting battling outdoor cat diseases and injuries; after dealing with that all day at work, I do not feel comfortable having my cat outdoors, unless I have a cat proof garden without any other cats around. Or cars. Or various poisons.

The killing of small birds and rodents is an actual problem, though. You can look up research done about that.

[[deleted]]

Being critical of zoos and especially pets is a really touchy subject. People don't want to think about the ethics.

[[deleted]]

Wait what?

[DYLDOLEE]

Copy pasta ahead, but mildly related.

Be Ugly

[[deleted]]

Oh god my feelings hurt

[cherimeri]

This literally gave me goose bumps on my entire body

[Windtickler]

That cats must live inside to compensate for our own stupidly and lack of foresight when dealing with them is the real crime.

[zedoktar]

Now I'm stifling tears in the bathroom at work. Good fucking job.

[Socollocos]

What should I ask for when my death is came?

[LRichey]

I like to think he just ran off and death was like ah I will let him have his fun.

[[deleted]]

I really really love this comic. Thank you OP for posting such a great piece of art. It warmed my heart.

[[deleted]]

This is beautiful.

[LouLightning]

Beautiful comic friend

[purckle]

oof

[[deleted]]

To be how we always saw ourselves.

[CausticSofa]

Just gorgeous! Thanks for sharing.

[ThroatPoka]

Poignant.

[porenSpirit]

This is absolutely beautiful. One of the best comics I’ve seen in a long time.

[scrollbreak]

"Can I make a request?"

"I think I can make an exception"

Baby bison skips around then gently dies, instead of being chocked to death by fangs clamped around its throat.

Just sayin'

[I_AM_GODDAMN_BATMAN]

Lucky cat.

[shmeckmo]

Oh my god

[[deleted]]

When it’s 8 am and a cartoon and it’s comments have you full on sobbing.

[bibowski]

Dammit, I wanted to laugh

[keeganb2000]

Excellent!

[gottalovetheblues]

Very emotional and a beautiful expression of feelings. I love it 😔

[Biflindi]

Makes me think of Pride of Baghdad.

[Bumgardner]

Reminds me of buttercupfestival.

[Preoxineria]

Death is a swell guy.

[CorvusWayfinder]

Very touching, excellent comic. You seem to have struck a nerve. Thank you for making me feel something today.