Cat Memorial Plant

[xigris]

My beautiful cat had to be put to sleep today. I had him for nearly 12 years - before DH and the DSs. We're all very sad, even though we knew it was the right thing to do as he was old and sick. We'd like to buy a large plant / small tree, suitable for a container, as a memorial to him. It has to be suitable for a pot as we're planning on moving in a couple of years so we'd like to take it with us. We hope that our next house will be for the long term so potentially it could be planted out then. I love gardening but I'm by no means an expert! I'd love some advice and suggestions as to what would be a good choice. It needs to be reasonably hardy as although our garden is south facing, we don't have a greenhouse for the winter. All advice gratefully accepted!

So sorry to hear about your cat. You must be so upset. It is devastating to lose a pet like that.

How about a rose? It would be fine in a pot, they are long-lived and easy to care for and there is a huge range with some very delightful names so you might be able to find one with an appropriate name - there's one called 'Remember Me' for example. Or if your cat was a British Blue, there's 'Blue for You'. And so on.

If you get a big enough pot, you could underplant the rose iwith catmint, which compliments roses beautifully.

Ah, thanks Rhubarb! I hadn't thought of a rose. I think that's a great idea. I also love your suggestion of catmint underneath it - very appropriate! We're going to the garden centre at the weekend to let the two oldest DSs 'choose' something. He wasn't a British Blue (they're lovely tho

Aaargh! Posted too soon! He was part Maine Coon so had a big fluffy neck and tail. He was very handsome and had the nicest temperament despite having a bad start in life. We'll miss him forever but that we had him for so long. Thanks loads for your advice!

Really sorry to hear this. We lost one of ours recently , he was a quarter Norwegin forest cat. He has a memorial rose called Tranquility. The first bud will hopefully open soon. His Mum is by a Camellia called Magic Mum. Camellias also do well in pots with ericaceous soil.

So sorry to hear about your cat I second a rose. Look for ones labelled patio roses as they do well in pots. I have one that has been grown in the shape of a small tree (from homemade) and looks lovely with shorter flowering plants around the bottom (I have violas petunias or catmint would be lovely too). Feed it with banana skin & manure and pop some my mycorrhizal fungi on the roots when you plant it.

Crome Homebase not homemade, I'm not that clever!

So sorry to hear about your cat :( I buried my cat in the garden and I planted daffodil bulbs around the outside of the grave. I liked the idea that her grave would be a source of new life in the spring.

Thank you all so much! It's really lovely that you've taken the time to suggest memorial plants for my lovely cat . We're getting his ashes back from the vet in a couple of weeks and the plan is to add them to the compost for a container plant. As I said to rhubarb, I hadn't thought of a rose, I think it sounds perfect, especially as you can get ones with appropriate names. I really love the idea of planting smaller flowering plants around the bottom. Open - daffs are my favourite flower so I may experiment with some of the dwarf bulbs.

Notanother - how I know that feeling , I think I'll be off to Homebase as I like the sound of a tree - shaped rose.

All of you who have lost a much-loved cat have my deepest sympathies. We knew it was on the cards for a while but I still can't believe how devastated we all are. Poor DH is particular is mega upset . The older DSs are clamouring for a kitten but DH and I can't even consider it! Thanks again, everyone

PS Wynken, despite my inability to consider having another cat at the mo, I've always loved Norwegian Forest cats......hmmm.

A few months after my fabulous cat died I got a kitten from the RSPCA and whilst she could never be a replacement, she is truly adorable :)

my old boy died last year and i buried him under our flowering cherry. My husband wanted to wait before getting another cat but before the week was out i had been to the rescue centre and bought home a cat who was in need of a home. I have just added to the family by taking on my nans British blue. My nan would have never parted from her but she has been unwell and is in and out of hospital so it is better the cat comes to live with me.

It's always hard isn't it? I feel that our house is so empty without a cat (despite DH and 3 DSs!) but I just can't imagine another cat...... I reckon we'll end up with one soon though as ime cats seem to know where they're wanted and just appear - this happened to me loads as a child and threads about cats turning up out of the blue crop up on mn surprisingly regularly!

cantspel I hope your man feels better soon; lovely that you're looking after her cat

We buried our 18 year-old mog in the back bed, under a tea-tree, with New Zealand rock lilies and clivia growing on top. And yes, we now have an RSPCA kitty-cat who couldn't be more different than the old boy.