My Cat just Died! What to Do when your cat dies at home.
Maybe you are preparing for the inevitable, the day your cat passes, or maybe they just have and you need to know what to do when your cat dies. It’s not a fun experience, however, it is one that is best prepared for.
One day I came home to one of the worst things in my life, my sweet cat died at home while I was at work. I was heartbroken and very confused as to what to do with her. It was late at night and I couldn’t take her to the vet.
I had known this was coming, she was fifteen and had been sick for a couple of days, but it still makes things hard. I was devastated and I had no idea what I needed to do to take care of her body. I looked online for suggestions but there was no information except take her to your vet. Unfortunately, they were closed, but I did call a local animal hospital and got some very helpful answers.
What to do when your cat dies
Make sure your have a towel handy
If you are there as your cat is passing you want to be sure you have a towel. It is not uncommon for a pet to urinate or defecate after death. However, this may not happen. In my case, my cat had not eaten for a couple of days, so I didn’t have to deal with that. You will want to be prepaired if you have a sick cat and cant get to the vet.
You want to show your other pets the body
This is important if you have other pets. You want them to know that the other pet is now gone or you may have a pet that keeps searching for their friend. It does depend on the cat however if your cat is not very friendly and didn’t seem to bond with the deceased cat you may be able to skip this step.
I will warn you this could be an interesting situation. At the time my cat passed I lived with my brother. I allowed my brother’s cat to sniff my cat so he would know she had passed. He was around 6 months old at the time and after he sniffed her, he walked away. Then he proceeded to run and pounce on her like he was playing. It made me laugh and cry harder all at the same time.
He eventually calmed down and I didn’t have any problems with him looking for her in the weeks to come.
Your freezer is your best friend when your cat dies
If your cat passes at night you want to put them in a garbage bag, I used three of them, and place them in your freezer. Yes, this seems strange, and I will never look at my freezer the same way again, but it makes sense. You want to keep the body cool, this also gives you time to figure out what to do. I was told to do this by the emergency vet I called that night as it was after hours. She told me that they would just charge me to do the same thing and if I had the room it would save me some money.
You can of course also take your pet to your local vet or animal hospital for them to take care of. Many will hold your pet until you decide what you want to do with the body. There of course is a cost for this service, so you want to consider that before you take them.
Options for your cats body after death
There are many options to dispose of your cat after they have passed. You should choose the one that is right for you and your budget.
Cremation options for your cat
Communal Cremation
This option is a great way to save money, but with this type of cremation, you do not get your pet’s ashes back if you’re not concerned with keeping your pet after they have passed this is a good option for you.
Private Cremation
This is the option I chose for my cat. This does cost and the cost does vary depending on where you live, but you do get your pet’s ashes back to do with what you wish. Once my cat was cremated I got her back in a plastic bag that was in a hard plastic container. Eventually, I found a very cute urn to put her in. You can check out my review of this urn here.
If you are interested in cremation for your pet you can find local pet crematoriums in your area here.
Cat Burials
Yard Burials
You of course can bury your cat in your yard, but you do want to check with local ordinances to make sure you are allowed to. Also, make sure you bury your cat deep enough as you don’t want anything digging them up.
Pet Cemetaries
Pet cemeteries are another great option if you don’t have a yard or can not bury your cat. There of course is a cost, but it’s a great way to honor your cat and you can go see them whenever you want.
Other options for your cat
If your not wanting to keep the body or ashes of your cat you can just call your local waste department and ask them to come pick up the body. Do not put your pet in with your normal trash, this can cause environmental issues and we don’t want that.
You can also take them into your vet to be disposed of. There may be a fee for this. However, you will know that your pet was disposed of correctly.
I hope this will help you know what to do when your cat dies. You will have to make some hard choices and it’s normal to feel adrift at this time. As hard as it may be now eventually it will get better and you will be able to open your heart to another pet.
