Cremation question...

[TinySongstress]

I'm sorry to post such a sad topic, but I'm concerned and wondered if anyone might be able to answer this:

I very sadly had to have my lovely Little Bear PTS on Saturday. The vet is arranging the cremation and she said the ashes should take a couple of weeks but there's one thing playing on my mind....

Will I get my Bear back? I still feel really protective and want his ashes with me forever. Are individual cremations par for the course or am I likely to receive a mix of ashes?

I know it's precious, but important to me. Does anyone know?

Thank you in advance.

If you are paying for an individual cremation then you will get his ashes back.

It wasn't discussed... I didn't realise and was too upset at the time to consider it wouldn't be.

The total bill came to around £200. Maybe I need to call the vet tomorrow I just don't want to make a fuss and be 'that' owner. I'm pretty sure he'll probably still be there...

I'm happy to pay extra for that to happen, it wasn't mentioned. Although the vet said the crematorium was wonderful and all the staff would want their pets to go there.

Yes phone them tomorrow. They should have asked you if you wanted individual or communal cremation and the charge varies accordingly. You only get ashes back with individual cremation. It's not done by the vets - a cremation company comes to collect bodies weekly - and they are distinguished by individual or communal by the colour of the bag the body is put in. So I'm sure it's not too late if they did get it wrong.

Sorry about Bear.

Thank you, I am getting the ashes back in a little scatter tube, i have a nice urn to put them in.

I lost my little boy Toby in September and only got his ashes back, along with a fur clipping and a paw print which I’ve had made into a ring.
So sorry for your loss OP. It really is heartbreaking 🐾

Thank you PP's. I still have an overwhelming urge to take care of him, even now.
It is hard. He was my first cat and the only one I've ever been through this with.

So sorry for the loss of your cat, it's just heartbreaking when you lose them. I was given the option of individual which we chose then a catalogue to chose what they came in. Got them back quickly in a lovely bag with a poem. I would ring asap and just say you'd like an individual cremation if possible/check what they offer

I got Maia's ashes in a really nice cardboard box. With a little card that says "Maia, the beloved pet of x was cremated on x date." She's still in the cupboard. I can't bring myself to scatter her!

I had some of her ashes made into a Bristol blue glass paperweight. I think my family think I'm going to do the same to them !

Sorry about your little companion. Just wanted to let you know that modern Barrows allow pets ashes to be safely kept along-side human ones, just where your loyal pet always was. It doesn't matter which ashes are there first, others can always be placed at a later date, and they can be visited whenever you wish.

My dogs ashes are in a box in the top of my wardrobe!!!

I'm sorry for your loss. Why don't you look up private pet crematoriums in your area. The cost won't be much different and you will get your ashes back much more quickly, often next day. Many will collect from your vet if you don't want to.

Sorry for your loss. My cat (the infamous Pickle) died a few months back. I've lost pets before but some are just different.

I had her cremated individually. I did this because my family has a pet cemetery on their rural land. It didn't start that way and I swear we aren't weird- just many pets and many years and many family members kind of compounds.

They are in the US, and I couldn't fathom my pet, who emigrated here with me, not with the others. That cat outlasted my first marriage!

The vet gave her back in this vessel, and we were really pleased with it. You can find them on Etsy UK or by googling cat urn. I'm so happy with it we might keep her here after all.

I'm grateful the vet provided it and we didn't have to put her in ourselves. Please, please don't subject yourself to that if they can do it for you.

Sorry to clarify. Vets arranged it with the crematorium. They may have charged me a surcharge on top of the rate. No idea. I didn't have to deal with anything though and picked her up two weeks later- from the vets- with a lovely bag and card.

I paid £100 for mine and I specifically asked if they did individual cremations and I was told they always do them singly. So I know I only got Buns back.
I watched it on youtube to see how they do it as this was the first cat I've had cremated, I always buried the others.
If you're paying £200 it will only be your own baby you're getting back.

P.S It's why it takes so long too because they do them one by one.

Just to update- I spoke to the vets and they assured me all the pets they send are cremated individually and I'll definitely get Little Bear back. They were very complimentary about the crematorium, which is nice.
I have chosen a beautiful little pearlescent blue urn, I don't mind popping him in myself. Properly laying him to rest.
I can't wait to get him home now, as silly as that sounds. He should be with me. This week hopefully.

Thank you to all the previous posters for your kind words and advice. You've helped me though a particularly difficult week. 💙

@PickleKid

Your urn is beautiful btw. A very nice touch.

Thanks @TinySongstress glad we could help and that your kitty will be back with you soon.

It's so nice to see a thread that has a conclusion, helps the OP, and doesn't descend into chaos!

😽😽

So sorry to hear about Bear. Sadly we've had to deal with this same question this week after one of ours got hit by a car last week 😢

Our vets said they could sort it for us either individually or communally but it would take weeks to get him back or we could contact the local pet crematorium ourselves and we would probably get him back in a couple of days.

So we went that route, the crematorium collected him from the vet on Friday afternoon and we are collecting him this Friday, we could have got him back Saturday if we wanted but we felt it was too soon for us.

The pet crematorium route was cheaper than the vet as well although cost wasn't an issue for us.

It is so hard to lose them isn't it. Our other boy has turned really clingy with us, me especially and he wasn't before, so he obviously misses his brother too.

I've finally had a full day today without tears over our poor boy