What is the done thing ref pet cremation?

[Rollergirl11]

Sadly we lost our little boy cat a few days ago. He was only just over a year old and we are absolutely devastated that his little life has been cut short. He was taken to a vets that isn’t ours to scan his chip. They are keeping him until we decide what we want to do with his remains. The lady explained that they use 2 different companies that do pet cremations. But looking on their websites we are looking in the region of £250 for cremation and suitable urn for his ashes. I really don’t want to pay this much. We don’t really want to display the urn anywhere in the house and I don’t think the kids could bear to scatter the ashes.

Is this the done thing and what people do? This is the first pet that we have had that has passed away so have no idea what is expected. I kind of assumed that we would perhaps get some paw prints and then the vets dispose of him.

Its horrible as I don’t really want to be thinking about all this as it feels so heartless but conscious that our little boy has been there since Thursday and we need to make a decision.

@thenewaveragebear1983 that was my plan as well. But I never got found to it for various reasons. They are both in a Monty Bojangles cat tin. Also have glass paperweights with their Ashes in. Completely not me at all but it feels right.

Our cat was out to sleep recently. She had been in and out the vets the week before, blood tests, scan, drips, an over stay, vitamin b injection the lot. Then we had to put her to sleep. She was taken for communal cremation.
I was expecting a huge bill the week after when we returned to pay as I hadn’t asked tbh. €250 for the entire thing.
Im not in uk, so prices likely to be higher there, but I think the cremation was the lowest part of the bill, it was only around €30 to be put to sleep and cremated I think.

If you don’t want to the ashes back, then communal cremation is likely your best option. I didn’t want to bury the body as we don’t have much suitable area as it’s rocky and I didnt like the thought of leaving her there if we ever moved. And I didn’t want to just look at ashes on the shelf.
The local churchyard here takes the communal pet ashes. They are scattered in a pet area, overlooking the lake with a nice bench if you want to go and sit. It’s planted up lovely with each season and maintained by the churchyard. They have a voluntary donation box there which we will add to over the years

I’ve never collected ashes, not for any of my beloved pets. Not my thing. My best friend has little chests in the house from every pet she’s ever had.

I don’t think there is a done thing.

We lost our dog about 6 years ago. Took him to be PTS and they took a paw print for us which I still have but he isn't there anymore, his body was his shell almost. We asked them to dispose of the body. Perhaps if it was cheaper but I find it weird to have someone's ashes on display. I'll never forget opening an heavy screw top jar at my grandads to find my great grandma in there.

Sorry for your loss. Mine have been cremated and tucked away at home until they are buried with me.

You can bury in your garden or have a group cremation and they scatter the ashes in their memorial garden at the place, we visited it after dcat died at dsd's request and it was a lovely peaceful place.

Sorry for your loss

Our cat went for collective cremation when she was PTS. I didn't want the ashes back, or have any desire to bury her. I have lovely photos of her which are much nicer than looking at an urn/container. It doesn't mean I loved her any less but I didn't feel that her remains would serve any useful purpose in my life.

Our vet sent a nice card with her paw print in it (no idea whether that's standard for them or not though - I assume it is).

We did pay £12 extra for a paw print and bit of fur, dsd wanted it. It's was about £200 all in

For ddog when the time comes we'll get the ashes and dispose in a special place, he has major surgery scheduled this week so it's on my mind just in case (if all goes well his quality of life will improve greatly and no more pain)

I adore my cats and dog but once dead they are "medical waste" to me. They're gone. My cat is elderly and likely to need to be PTS very soon. I want the vet to dispose of the body, for me it's mawkish to sit and look at my dead cat's remains. But we're all different.

I’ve three buried in my garden. The 4th was cremated and I buried the ashes which came in a pretty cardboard tube as I didn’t have another suitable burial spot. This is over 25 years, I don’t lose my pets often I promise.

I do find it odd and strangely detached to talk about a beloved pet in those terms. Like you say, we’re all different, so not an issue surely.

Btw, I don’t know anyone who sits and looks at their pets remains.

Thank you for all your replies and well wishes. The vets are going to cremate him themselves and they are providing us with paw prints and a fur cutting.

Still can’t believe he’s gone. 💔😰

Sorry for your loss . We use an independent crematorium for all our pets - horses down to Guinea pigs . It’s literally the same as organising a human funeral , you just don’t attend the actual event .