Having a pet cat as part of your family is one of the most blissful things that can happen to anyone. It can make your life more vibrant as you receive unconditional love from your furry friend. You can make memories and become companions for life. However, as you both grow older, your feline friend can pass on earlier and may no longer be with you in the much later years of your life.
Losing your cat is like losing a loved one, especially if they’re dear to you. If you’re battling with this loss today and looking for ways to accept it, an effective way is to commemorate your cat’s life. Despite the lingering pain you’re feeling now, you should take comfort in knowing that time will eventually heal your wounds.
But for now, it’s best to pour your love and attention into holding the best pet memorialization for your cat. Here are some ideas below:
- Place Your Pet’s Ashes In A Special Storage And Location
If you’re thinking of having a cat cremation, finding a special place to store your cat’s ashes is ideal. In this case, a decorative urn should be special enough. Consider placing this urn in a suitable location in your home, perhaps in an area your cat frequently rests in or your living room. You may also place it next to your relatives’ tombstones or in the pet cemetery. It’s best to create a burial shrine where the urn will be placed, so you and your family can visit your cat’s remains anytime.
When displaying the urn somewhere, you can get creative and add some of their photos, keepsakes, and their favorite toys. This shrine is an effective way to memorialize your cat. There are plenty of beautiful urns to choose from in stores today. Choose one that comes in the right size for your cat’s ashes, as well as their favorite color or design that suits their personality best. Don’t forget to print out their name and the dates they lived. This simple way of honoring their memory can make your pet feel loved even when they’re no longer here on earth.
- Hold A Pet Funeral
Like a funeral for a family member, a pet funeral honors a pet’s life. Many families have practiced this ceremony for their deceased pets. A cat funeral can be executed in many ways. You can hold the funeral in the cemetery if you prefer to bury your pet or at your home if you have had your pet cremated. Doing it outdoors and in their favorite spot can also be a perfect venue idea.
You can invite family and friends who have known your feline friend. You can even organize a program, like showing a slideshow of photos together with your cat or having people share a speech or eulogy. Depending on your religion and culture, there are many more ways to hold a funeral for your cat. You can release some balloons in the sky to celebrate your pet’s passing to the next life or offer his favorite food in front of his shrine. All these activities can make your pet funeral extra special.
- Get Your Cat Drawn
One of the most common memorial gifts for your deceased cat is to get them drawn or painted. An art piece of your cat will serve as lifetime memorabilia for everyone in your household. You can display it beside his urn or somewhere your cat usually stays and lingers at home.
You can have an oil painting, watercolor painting, acrylic painting, pastel painting, or caricature drawing of your cat. No matter what style you prefer, ensure that your cat looks cheerful and adorable in the photo.
Also, if you’re gifted in drawing and painting, you can do this therapeutic activity instead. After all, you’re the best person who knows your cat’s distinct features. In addition to honoring your beloved pet’s memory, painting a portrait of them can also be a therapeutic way to deal with the emotions of losing someone close to you.
- Sew A Memory Quilt
To honor your cat’s memory, commission a custom pet memorial quilt to celebrate your memories and times together. If your cat was the sweet and snuggly type, somehow, a soft quilt will remind you of how much your cat loved to snuggle with you in the past. It can be a great means of comfort for your loss.
Pet memorial quilts come in so many different forms and patterns. You can do this yourself or have it professionally sewn by a tailor. The idea is to commemorate your cat by printing photos or incorporating their favorite things into the quilt. A great idea is to make use of their paw prints and print their pictures on fabrics that will be sewn into the quilt.
Creating a quilt can be as different and as unique as it can be. So, it’s okay to utilize different cloth and fabrics together. It is an effective way to make an artistic quilted portrait of your cat.
The process of quilting takes time, so if you’re doing it yourself, it would be a good time to reflect on the special relationship you had with your cat. Quilts are a conventional home product that elevates the coziness of a home’s atmosphere. Display your quilt on the sofa in the living room so everyone can see and use it, especially during colder months. If you’re not a fan of quilts, the best alternative is to go for blankets instead.
- Make A Memory Keepsake Box
Your cat could have owned several toys when they were still alive. Or perhaps a few clothes too. Keep them all in a memory keepsake box to preserve your memories together. All those items may symbolize the time and things you enjoy doing together, so it’s best to keep them and cherish them.
Whether it’s a leash, cat collar, favorite toys, or anything that usually reminds you of them, you can store them all in a sturdy keepsake box. The purpose of this is to allow you to grieve for your cat while being able to remember every memory you have of them.
- Store Their Ashes On Your Favorite Jewelry
This next idea is fantastic and practical for modern cat parents out there. Make your cat’s ashes into bespoke jewelry if you’ve had your cat cremated so you can carry them wherever you go. There’s a sense of comfort in knowing that your cat still remains in your presence even when they’re no longer physically alive.
Keeping your pet’s memory close to your heart is easy, thanks to the wide array of pet memorial jewelry available. For instance, you can opt to place your cat’s ashes in a small locket of the necklace pendant you’re wearing.
Another way is to find a bulkier ring that comes with a place to put some of your cat’s ashes in. Alternatively, you can use their photo, paw print, or anything that reminds you of your cat. Incorporate them into your favorite jewelry so you won’t ever forget your cat.
- Collate Pictures And Store Them In An Album
Much like creating keepsakes for human beings, you can collate pictures of you and your cat and store them in a photo album. When there are too many great photos, it’s more advisable to print them all and have them displayed in a beautiful photo album. You can share this album with your house guests and tell them how wonderful your cat was.
It can be an emotional experience to gather all the pictures of your pet. Therefore, do this when your emotions are stable or when you have accepted your cat’s loss. Looking at photos of loved ones who have passed away can be painful.
You can’t help but remember and revisit old memories and appreciate all your pet has contributed to your family when you create a special album for them. Finally, display the photo album somewhere safe but accessible to take out anytime you and your family misses your cat. The best place is to put it in the living room or the cabinet of memorabilia and precious collections.
- Grow A Garden In Their Loving Memory
Gardening and planting trees, flowers, or other greeneries are great activities that can help you cope with a loved one’s loss. Therefore, consider planting something in the garden in your cat’s loving memory. If you bury your cat in the garden, consider planting a tree or flower near its remains.
Find a spot in your yard where your cat used to love running around and playing. Your feline friend may also be honored with a plaque or cat statue, so you can remember them every time you look at it. This garden decoration will inform everyone of how much you love your cat.
Conclusion
There are things your deceased pet wants you to know; one of them is how grateful they are to have been a part of your family. Be patient with yourself as you grieve the death of your precious feline friend. Any loss takes time to heal; it goes the same for your beloved cat. However, by commemorating and memorializing them, you can seek comfort and feel more at ease with your cat’s passing. You should turn a sorrowful event into an opportunity to celebrate the years you’ve spent together.