Okay, so my little buddy, Mittens, passed away last week. It was sudden, and I was a mess, man. I’ve had that cat since I was a kid, you know? He was part of the family.
After I pulled myself together a bit, I had to figure out what to do. Burying him in the backyard didn’t feel right, plus I might move someday. So, cremation it was. I called around to a few places. First up was the local vet’s office, where we took Mittens for checkups. They gave me a quote, but I wanted to see my other options.
Next, I hit up a pet cemetery that also offered cremation services. The lady on the phone was super nice and explained their different packages. You could get a basic cremation, or you could go all out with a fancy urn and a memorial service. They had all sorts of options.
Here’s a breakdown of the costs I found:
- Vet’s Office: They quoted me around $150 for a communal cremation, which means Mittens would be cremated with other pets, and I wouldn’t get his ashes back. For a private cremation, where it’s just him, it was closer to $250.
- Pet Cemetery: Their basic communal cremation was a little cheaper, about $120. But their private cremation packages started at $200 and went up depending on the urn and other stuff you wanted.
I also found a couple of independent pet cremation places online. Their prices were in the same ballpark, maybe a little cheaper for the basic service. The guy of independent pet cremation who I spoke to also mentioned that he could make a paw impression for $25. It’s a memory and I like it so much.
After thinking about it, I decided to go with the pet cemetery. Their staff were really compassionate, and they had a nice little viewing room where I could say a proper goodbye to Mittens. I opted for a private cremation and a simple wooden urn, which set me back around $230 in total. It felt like the right way to honor my furry friend. It wasn’t just about the money, it was about giving Mittens the respect he deserved, even at the end.
Getting a pet cremated isn’t cheap, but for me, it was worth it. It gave me closure and a way to keep a part of Mittens with me always. I scattered some of his ashes in his favorite sunny spot in the garden, and the rest are in the urn on my bookshelf. It’s a nice reminder of all the good times we had together. He’s always with me.
I miss you, little guy.
