My cat passed away this morning - what should I do with her dead body?

Leonie

So sorry to hear about your cat - it's heart breaking, isn't it, even when they're old?

I've got 6 buried in my garden - I wrap them in my 'cat burying' towels, dig a deep hole and bury them.

When my grandsons were small, and we didn't want to just evade the questions about my very old cat dying, we had a little ceremony with candles. We let them see her body, give her a stroke and say goodbye, then we wrapped her in a towel and buried her as deep as we could manage to dig in our clay soil. They accepted it as part of the grieving process.

I then spend a considerable amount of time in the garden centre, selecting a suitable shrub or perennial to plant on top - one which reflects the cats personality to me in some way. It helps with the grief.

It has stopped me moving house, though, as I can't bear to leave them - I've considered digging them up and taking them with me - no volunteers to do it, though my son in law has offered to make me a coffin to put them all in.

A friend of mine suggested cremation followed by keeping the ashes in a pottery vessel made for the purpose (she's a potter), but I've carried on burying them - I like to talk to them while I'm out in the garden.

You need to do whatever most helps the grieving, and burying them nearby suits me the best. And I have some lovely memorial plants. I have their photos on my PC screensaver, too, along with photos of family, and the garden - and it cycles through them so I get to see random photos of my much loved cats on a daily basis.

Leonie

I think it must depend on how hungry the fox is - I've just watched a fox pass through my garden - he does it fairly regularly, and goes over the fence next to where one of my cats is buried.

My vet recommended putting a paving stone over the top, which I did for the first cat I buried - the rest just have shrubs planted over them.

spendaholic

I feel for your loss.

It looks to me as though you've already decided to bury your cat. If this is your gut instinct, stick to it. You can buy a nice shrub or tree to plant over the area - a nice way to remember your pet.

I have mine cremated, whether they die at the vet or not. My dog, however, is still in a ginger jar on the shelf because I haven't found a field yet that I'd like to scatter him in. The cat's ashes were buried beneath his favourite tree, but the tree almost died of shock with all that "bonemeal".

I disagree with stuffing anything, let alone pets. I prefer to let creatures rest in peace instead of being gawped at and prodded for years to come. Each to their own, though, and if that's what you want to do, that's up to you.

gentlepurr

sorry i came so late to this thread, but just wanted to add my ((((hugs)))) to you.

when our cat died, she was buried, and we put a beautiful statue on the top. i have since moved house, and the statue has come with me, its a cat statue, so i call her "nis", and feel she is still with me

xx

frosticles1111

i would,nt get him stuffed as it will prob upset you every time you look at him and he might turn out like that cat on THATS LIFE and really upset you

ailuro2

Sorry for your loss.

When our cat was dying I knitted him a soft woollen blanket and we made him a decorated cardboard box with tissue paper glued onto it, pinata style is the best way to describe it, made into a rainbow shape. It felt like one last little act of doing something for him and gave us something to keep our mind off of his impending putting to sleep.

TrikerAndBiker

Came to this thread late but still wanted to say sorry to read about your cat.

We recently had our 19 year old three legged moggy put to sleep due to kidney failure. Living in a rural location there is no way I would bury an animal in our garden as we have foxes and badgers and believe me, they do dig things up! We opted instead to have him cremated but left the ashes to be scattered on a rose bed at the pet crem. To have the ashes returned would have cost nearly £100 (I think these charges vary according to region by the look of it) so we decided the money would be better spent by sponsoring a cat cabin at our local animal rescue centre in his memory.

It's never easy losing a pet as they do become a real part of the family.

Moon~Shadow

1jacks64 wrote: »

My cat sadly passed away in the early hours of this morning.


I hope this poem offers you some comfort as I believe it says it all :A

Rainbow Bridge

Just this side of Heaven is a place called Rainbow Bridge. When an animal dies that has been especially close to someone here, that pet goes to Rainbow Bridge. There are meadows and hills for all of our special friends so they can run and play together. There is plenty of food and water and sunshine, and our friends are warm and comfortable. All the animals who have been ill and old are restored to health and vigour; those who were hurt or maimed are made whole and strong again, just as we remember them in our dreams of days and times gone by.


The animals are happy and contented, except for one small thing: they miss someone very special to them who had to be left behind. They all run and play together, but the day comes when one suddenly stops and looks in to the distance. The bright eyes are intent; the eager body quivers. Suddenly they begin to break away from the group, flying over the green grass, their legs carrying them faster and faster.


YOU have been spotted, and then you and your special friend finally meet, you cling together in joyous reunion, never to be parted again. The happy kisses rain upon your face; your hands again caress the beloved head, and you look once more in to the trusting eyes of your pet, so long gone from your life but never absent from your heart.


THEN YOU CROSS THE RAINBOW BRIDGE TOGETHER.


~Anon~

odds-n-sods

I'm so sorry to read this thread, I hope you can remember the fun times you had with yoru cat.

Mr_Urdd

I have lost 2 cats over the last 5 years, I have always taken to the vet to be cremated (incinerated ) costs about £20