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If you take your
cat home for burial, he must be buried as soon as
possible (within hours) otherwise putrefaction
(decay) will set in. If you cannot take your cat's
body home immediately, your vet may be able to
store it in the veterinary deep freeze for a day
or two. It is not advisable to store the body in
your domestic deep freeze. If you do not collect
the body on the arranged day, it will be collected
for incineration.
Cremation
The second most
popular option in Britain (and increasing in
popularity) and possibly the most popular option
in the US is cremation. Many people today choose
cremation. Then you have the choice of scattering
kitty's ashes in its favorite places or bringing
them home in a jar. Pet crematoria are usually
combined with pet cemeteries and listed in the
Yellow Pages, pet magazines or your vet may have
contact details. They may also have a memorial
garden or columbaria (wall of niches) for pet
ashes.
Pet cemeteries and
crematoria offer several services: individual
cremation where the ashes are either returned to
you or buried at the crematorium; cremation with
other animals with the ashes scattered in the
garden of rest or individual burial in a cemetery
plot. Pet cemeteries have no legal protection so
check that it is not likely to be bought up for
redevelopment.
Taxidermy
Some cat owners
have their cat "stuffed" although the
results may be disappointing. Only the skin, fur
and claws will be real. The eyes will be glass and
the facial expression will be frozen and may
appear distorted. Ask to see samples of the
taxidermist's work first. However good the
taxidermist is, the cat's expression rarely looks
"quite right" and for this reason, many
will not taxidermize domestic pets. Everything
which made your cat what he was (muscle, bones,
brain) will have been disposed of as medical
waste.
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