what do u do when a pet dies?

Question

i have a cat who is 14 years old and think she is slowly dying my partner asked me the other day if the cat does die what do we do with her afterwards, i know some people bury their pets in the garden but i dont want my kids digging and finding the remains. so whats my other choice?

just to add to the comment made by someone who said my cat had sensed my selfishness i love my cat to bits thats why after 14 years she is still alive but ive never actually thought about her dying as she is my very 1st pet it was just a question that i knew nothing about and wondered what happens, so as u can see im not selfish i want my cat to have a nice ending as she had a lovely life.

Answer 1

ask your vet about cremation or burial i had my dog cremated on his own and hes in a casket with his name on my mantle piece my dog meant the world to me and when my other dogs time comes i will be doing the same an animal is not just a pet its part of the family good luck in your decision

Answer 2

Some cities/towns don't allow you to bury animals on your property so if you do decide to do that, check the regulations first. I wouldn't worry so much about the kids digging up the body (I assume they don't have a ghoulish bent) as I would other neighborhood animals. You would have to dig a deep enough hole to prevent this from happening. I would think you would wrap the cat up in an old sheet or something or put it in a box before putting it in the ground.

You can take the cat to the vet who will give you the option of either letting them dispose of the body (meaning it gets put in a plastic bag and sent to the landfill) or they will arrange for a pet cremation company to pick up the body and cremate it. The cremains are then returned to you--sometimes in an urn, sometimes in an attractive "tin can" (like you might put hard candy in--I know there's a better word, but I've been up all night and my brain is foggy) with raffia, a card with your name and your pet's name, and sometimes with a card with comforting words about the loss of a pet.

You can check with your city/town's animal control division and see if they'll dispose of the body for you. Again, it'll be at the landfill. They do this if a small animal dies in your yard or in front of your house after it was hit by a car, but I'm not sure if there would be a fee for a "normal" passing.

Check with the local Humane Society/Animal Society. The one where I live do a great job taking care of the animals, but the people who work there need attitude adjustments and I don't know how friendly or helpful they would be if I were in your situation.

I've had a cat and a dog cremated. The company that took care of the cat is in a more rural setting and have a pet cemetery. You can get a small headstone or flat marker and put it on the grave. In different catalogs I've seen where you can order what I assume is a resin-type stone imprinted with the pet's name and/or dates.

No matter what option you choose, since you do have kids, you may want to consider a small memorial service just to remind everyone that the cat was a loyal, loving companion for those 14 yrs. Everyone could have a chance to say a favorite memory.

Oh, one other thing. You're not allowed to bury a pet in a people cemetery--even if the pet died after the owner did. As far as I know, you can arrange to have the urn with the cremains placed in the casket if the owner dies after the pet, but you'd have to check with the funeral home first.

Answer 3

A lot of vets can have the cat cremated or sent to a pet cemetary.

Actually, I've buried a ton of pets in my own backyard. My 18 yr old Siamese is in my back garden after she died in Aug. Sometimes burying the pet with the help of the kids is a good way to help them understand that death is a part of life. Instead of worrying about them digging up the cat, how about letting them pick out a bush or flowers to plant over top of the grave so they'll always have something there to remember the cat by. I planted catnip over Fluff's grave.

Just a thought but it might be a great teaching opportunity for the kids.

Answer 4

A local vet should be able to offer some options.... you can pay a fee and the vet will dispose of the cat (you can take it to the vet in a towel or carrier after it has passed), or you could ask the vet to cremate the cat (there will be a fee of course, you can transport the cat the same way as above) and you will get the ashes back. Most cities/towns do not want people to bury their animals in the yard or on property so that other animals aren't attracted and to minimize the spread of disease.
I am so sorry your cat is sick, my thoughts are with you

Answer 5

a loss of a pet is very devistating. before she dies try and make her as comfertable as possible and when she dose mdie tell her she has gone with someone else who has died in your family to visit them as for burrying her you could still burry her but burry her extra deep.

Of course, burial in the backyard is usually the first thing that comes to mind when people lose a pet. This tradition is certainly an option for some people. If your city or county allows animal burial in your yard and if you plan to stay in your home for many years to come, it can be nice to have a loving memorial where you can easily visit.

If you are going to bury your pet yourself, be sure that the hole is at least three feet deep to avoid any unwanted scent. Keep in mind that if there is a smell, wild animals will be attracted to the site and try to dig up the body. Putting the pet in a heavy duty plastic bag and then placing that in an appropriate wood or metal box will also help.

If your backyard is simply not an option, but you would still like a traditional burial, there are many pet cemeteries available throughout the country. A pet cemetery provides a more permanent location; however, make sure the cemetery is on "dedicated land," which means that it will always remain a pet cemetery regardless of ownership. There are several options within the pet cemetery category. You can have an individual gravesite, or opt for a common burial (sometimes referred to as a "country burial"). Small funerals can even be arranged with a casket, headstone, and service. In fact, some pet cemeteries even offer embalming services. There will be an up-front cost for the burial and most likely annual maintenance fees after that. Be sure to factor in the long-term cost of the burial.

The most common choice is cremation. This option tends to be lower in cost and convenient since most veterinarians can arrange everything for the pet owner. Cremated remains are portable so they can travel with a family in a decorative urn or other special container. A small portion of the remains can even be incorporated into a unique glass or ceramic keepsake. If you don't want to keep the cremated remains in your home, you can either bury them at home or in a pet cemetery or scatter the ashes in a special location meaningful to you and your pet.

If you choose to cremate, be sure to ask whether the cremation will be individual or mass. Many animal crematories do mass cremations and then divide the ashes amongst all of the pet owners. Basically the ashes you receive will be a mixture of your pet's and many others. Some crematoriums do offer individual cremations at an extra charge. You can even place a special toy, blanket, or flowers with your pet at the time of cremation.

A relatively new option is freeze-drying. This procedure, developed during World War II for preserving blood plasma, is now an alternative to traditional taxidermy which has never produced a good rendering of a pet. The steps to freeze-drying a pet are a little gruesome. First, the pet is skinned, and then rebuilt around an artificial body cavity. Some taxidermists choose to retain the head and paws, to help preserve the pet's distinctive identifying qualities. Freeze-drying is also a time-consuming process that can take up to nine months to complete. If you do choose this option, make sure you are going to a reputable taxidermist. Done improperly, the process can quickly disintegrate leaving you with nothing.


The last options are rendering and disposal. Rendering is the recycling of animal remains into products such as fertilizer or animal food. Normally this is done with large livestock animals, but sometimes domestic pets are also used. Disposal is just that - disposing in a dump or landfill. Neither of these options truly honors the life and loyalty of a pet and will certainly not help the pet owner in the grieving process.

If a close friend or relative dies, there are support systems built into our families and society to help deal with the grief. There are few places to turn to when a pet dies. Veterinarians or crematorium operators may be able to help or point you in the right direction to find local counselors who deal with pet loss issues. An on-line resource that can be very useful is http://www.petloss.com.

Answer 6

You can ask the vet to dispose of the body, it usually costs extra but it may be easier for you and your children to adjust to your loss if you have a grave. If you bury the cat in the garden you can mark the grave with something, plant a bush there or something. The children will know not to interfere in with that area and it will be a reminder of the cat. You might think this will be painful for you all, it will at first obviously, but as you work through the grieving process it will be a focal point for the happy memories.

Having pets, and losing them, is an important life lesson for children. Sadly one of the things we have to learn is that death is part of life and that life goes on despite it.

Also remember, don't ruin today for your worries over tomorrow, we are all dying, enjoy and appreciate you cat while she is still with you, it will make losing her easier to bear.

Answer 7

Did you take her to the vet just in case she isn't dying?

One of our Boys dropped dead suddenly from a blood clot. We took him to the vets, and they arranged a cremation. You can either have single cremations, where you get the ashes back in a little box (which we did), or they can do mass cremations, where the ashes stay at the crematorium.

We've kept our Boy, because I didn't want to leave him if we move house, plus we only had shady places we could have buried him. I still say "morning" to him sometimes !

I also took a paw print on a card - it bugs me that I can't remember if I took a rear print or a front print! The vet was quite confused as to why the ink hadn't been licked off! We got a little fur shaved too (since I got the vet to do an autopsy in case our cat had died of something contagious for other cats. ) So we have a little memory trinket pot.

And please make sure you have some good photos to remember her by - all mine don't show my Boy's personality nearly as well as I want them to.

Answer 8

Well, the only other option is to take her to the vet's, who will put her in the incinerator.

But if you're really only worried about the kids digging, why not bury her and then place a large stone or block over the grave, or tell the kids where she is and ask them not to dig around her, make some kind of gravestone. I do this for my pets and even the youngest children stay away from them.

Answer 9

If you take her to the vets they will keep the body for you if you dont wish to bury them but our family has two dogs buried in our garden as long as you dig deep enough and maybe place the cat in a box i doubt your kids will dig the remains up. Or you can consult someone about cremating the remains that way you can spread the ashes around your garden.

Answer 10

You can take her for a standard cremation, where her ashes are scattered with the other pets at the crematorium.
You could have an individual cremation where you can have the ashes returned either to scatter or in casket to keep. Some crematoriums do novelty caskets that are like ornaments. (cats, dogs and stuff).
Or alternatively you could have a burial at the crematorium. Very costly with a yearly plot charge.
I'd have her cremated personally and maybe the children could plant a tree or something so they can remember her by. Depending on their ages obviously, (oh and if they are old enough to understand ask them what they would do to remember puddy cat, as it can help with their grieving process)

Answer 11

Well, it is good to be prepared ... you need to review all the options already given to you. Don`t forget however, that this is your cat`s death, not just a simple everyday problem. She probably has tuned in to your selfishness and will decide to go out sometime when the door is ajar, and wander off into the sunset and find herself a beautiful spot to die alone, saving you your premature anxieties.
Maybe I am being too hard on you, hopefully you are doing all you can to spend the best quality time with her now.