Paying Respects to pets

I had all three of my dogs cremated and their ashes still sit in containers on my bookshelf, near where I keep their last collars and tags hanging. I am thinking about putting some kind of photo memorial near them as well. 

I know that I am the only one who cares about the ashes (the kids are a bit skeeved that I have kept them in the house, and mrs gearboy is even less sentimental on a regular basis than I am). So I have (only half-joking) told them that when I die, after any usable organs are harvested, to cremate me and mix my ashes with the dogs (however many that ends up being). What they do with the ashes at that point doesn't matter to me since I'll be dead. But that way the dogs and I can spend the rest of time together in some form.

We just had my dog laid to rest last week - can't believe it has been a week already . It was very emotional for me, even more than I expected. You can read my blog for all the details if you want, last Thursday was her last day.

I did not write about the burial in my blog. We buried her at my in-laws house (they have 7 acres of land in the country) next to her doggie friend/step sister who also passed away this year. We will be able to take walks around this area and remember all the good times, all the walks we took there together.

Uh oh, here come the tears again.......

Best wishes, it is hard. I still expect to see her on the carpet when I wake up in the morning or think she will be in the garage to great me when I get home at the end of the day.

I'm sorry for your loss.  We were thinking of doing something like this stepping stone for our dog, Jake.  I've also seen a kit where you make the stone yourself and can add pictures.  We were planning to have the stone and planting a tree in his memory in the backyard.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ePNdcdNm9fY

I'm sorry for your loss.  Our dog died in June.  It's still difficult for me to not dwell on the loss and think of her final days with tears in my eyes.  I try to think of the fun times and that does help some.

I am assembling a sort of shadow box in memory.  I haven't put it together and I'm so not the crafty type.  I have photos that I need to find.  I have her collar and tags.  I have fabric that covered the seat in the car.  I even have a tooth or two, LOL.  The frame is about 12" by 12" and a few inches deep.

That right there is an awesome tribute!

OP: sorry about your cat... I guess the best thing to do is to do something that makes you feel happy and still connected to your pet... could be anything at all... so long as it reminds you of all the happiness that (s)he brought you.

In 2009, Dumbledore (kitty) got really sick, really fast and they didn't know why. He was only about 4. I still have his littermate, who is a very sweet cat, but his personality was unique :-) 

A day or 2 after he went to the big yarn ball above, I actually got my 3rd tattoo. They are little black paws at about my hip. (Link if you're interested to see it fresh, he was a black cat.)

Also, I created a collage with pictures and words about him. :-)

I wasn't going to adopt another kitty, but not quite a year later, I realized I wanted company for his sister - and me too :-) So while I still miss him, I was able to take in another kitty who needed a home. And I definitely think that there is a little bit of Dumbledore in him... (Lucky, new kitty, would've been born about 6 months after he died)

It's not easy. But do whatever sounds good to you! And if you want another feline, give yourself an early Christmas present! And if you don't...don't! I always like those bumper stickers that say "Who rescued who?"

Good luck!

My Calvin passed away almost a year ago....wow, I can't believe it's been almost a year.  There are still many days that I cry over him, but it does get better.

Before the DR put him down, I kissed him and removed his collar.  That collar is wrapped around the gear shift in my car.  He loved the car, so he is still and always will be my co-pilot.

Jocelyn - so sorry for the loss...  We had our cat cremated and the ashes sit in a little container on teh shelf, with his collar, and also some whiskers we came across.    Also some bird feathers from our several birds.  We're kind of silly keepng that around, but it helps keep them alive in our hearts.

If we owned land no doubt we'd bury the ashes and have a nice little memorial.

We had Angle creamated, but the vet took a paw print too in plaster. She is in our living room. It is always tough. No easy way to do it. Just the other day, my dog that we are so in love with was sort of hurting from something... my wife said he is getting old (4..28). I didn't even want to hear it... I said he is only a year and a half, like when we got him. I don't even want to think about that day.

I just don't understand how a dog can bring so much love and joy into our lives.... when it is filled with such horribly tragic events and people like we have had lately. I just don't get it. Can't wait to go home and give him a hug. People suck.

We have a memorial shelf in our kitchen...Currently at two dogs and two cats, ashes, pawprints and pictures.  I lost my old guy last Christmas (avvie is him).  He was my forever dog, my angel, he saved me.  Eventually, I will have that pic tattooed on my calf. 

Another old dog, I scattered his ashes along a trail we walked when we went camping and posted a memorial.  It lasted in the weather for quite a few years... 

You will find something to do that will honour your cat and your love for him.  Let yourself grieve--they are a part of our families and they give so much to us.  I'm very sorry for your loss.

sealiongirl, I feel 4 ya on the passing of a pet. Something I started doing many years ago 4 others is planting a tree 4 someone that has lost a pet, human, etc. 

The folks that live in an apartment I have given them a bulb 2 plant in a small indoor pot. I have dug a many holes 4 others that would like their tree planted in their yard. On 1 occasion I was happy 2 build a cold frame type of structure 4 a sweet herb garden of thyme, basil, & salad greens in which I stapled the dog's collar 2 the frame. 

Bottom line....... Plant, water, grow, & remember all those wonderful times.

Three years ago we had to put my sick to to sleep. It's not the first time I've had to do it, but amazingly the cat was 16 years old so it was the first time I had to do it with my kids. They are the ones that insisted on being with him when he was euthanized. We all took turns saying goodbye and it helped. For a couple weeks whenever someone brought it up, we agreed one of us had to tell a funny story about something he did. In 16 years, there were a lot. So you do what you do for a human, remember the good, laugh, and honor their memory.

Oh, and 3 weeks later the kids decided I needed a new cat, although I somehow wound up adopting two - brother and sister from the shelter.

Thanks so much for all of your posts! I feel better seeing how much you all cared about your pets and how you've celebrated their lives. We decided that we did want to have our kitty's ashes returned to us. We live on a marina, and he loved to sit outside and watch the boats and birds on the water. So, we spread his ashes, right there in the water in view of our place. Seemed fitting as a final resting place for him.

Thanks again!