What Remains...

I appologize if this is the wrong place for this or if this is sensitive subject for some, but I would like some advice from anyone willing to reply.

Jasmine, my cat, is still living but is getting up there in age.  I've realized a lot lately that, eventually I'm going to loose my friend.  I thought about what I would do if I had to make the hard decision or if I came home and she's gone.  An aspect I'm trying to figure out, is what to do with the remains.  I've thought of burying her, but wouldn't know where as no place I can think of would be appropriate for her; she's not an outside cat.  I've thought about cremation, and that offers some comfort because I can keep her for a while but then what do I do with her remains when I'm truly ready to let go?

I'd rather think about this now when I can still pet her and love her, than later when she's gone.  I've not had a pet friend that I've had to think about this before.  I guess what I want to know is what others have done with their furry friend after they've entered eternal life.

I can't tell you what I did (Ritz is 4.5 years old), only what I plan to do.  And like you, I have to think about these things NOW, not when the end is imminent.

I could probably bury her remains in my brother's backyard, but he has two large dogs.  Or perhaps my own small back yard but strangely I think I'd miss her too much in that location.  So close yet so far.

But more likely I will have her remains cremated and put into some type of urn, it will be an urn I pick out, something I think she'd like.  I may save some of her ashes and have them converted into jewelry, like a pendant.  There is a company ("cremation jewelry") that does this; it is expensive, but will be worth it (to me).

When the time came for my precious Skittles, the vet kindly came to the house to euthanize her so we could keep her here.  We buried her in the back yard with her favorite blanket and toy, and put a memorial stone over the spot.  She's in a place that's close enough to the house that I pass by every day.  At first, it was unbearable and I thought we had put her in a bad place because the memories and sadness were overwhelming every time I walked by.  But now I'm glad she's there, it's comforting to know she's so close by.

I wish you the best--that's a tough place to be, knowing you may have to make those decisions in the not too distant future.

All of our cats (except for Pita, whose ashes were buried in the lilies in the front yard) were cremated and their ashes are with us. The ashes are in containers and the containers are in the living room in a cabinet (they're not on display or anything like that). Banshee's ashes are back in the computer room on my desk where she and I spent a lot of time together.

I want to be cremated when I die and I don't wish to be buried. I would rather my ashes be spread in our back yard or at a local state park where I spent a lot of time when I was younger. At that point, I would like my cats' ashes to be mixed with mine and all sprinkled at the same time. In a way, we will all be together again. And that, to me, is how it should be. Until that time comes, the ashes are fine where they're at now.

I think initially for most people anyway no place feels right.  I think that's particularly true for an indoor cat.  I'm renting now so if I lost a cat now I would have him cremated.  Later on if a place seemed right I could bury the ashes.

Denice said:

I think initially for most people anyway no place feels right.  I think that's particularly true for an indoor cat.  I'm renting now so if I lost a cat now I would have him cremated.  Later on if a place seemed right I could bury the ashes.

Click to expand...

True, that no place feels right.  If I were renting or in a place I thought I might move from, I'd have cremated the remains so they could always be with me.  

If such a facility exists, I wonder if anyone would donate their cat's body to a vet hospital for research?

My sister in law's parents both made it perfectly clear that when they died, their bodies are to be donated to science.

The father passed away two months ago and though I don't know the particulars, I do know it was done efficiently and kindly.