Being a pet owner is nothing special in the grand scheme of things. After all, you’re just another person leading a somewhat mundane life, with a docile animal at your side. However, while anyone can purchase or take in pets anywhere, you have no idea how they see you, especially cats.
Compared to dogs, people who own cats would think these feline furballs lean more towards the ‘mature, sophisticated audience. Since they’re not as ‘expressive’ as dogs, cats don’t wag their tails happily when they see you. Nor do they know how to be gentle when all you get are fangs and claws during playtime.
But what they don’t know is how affectionate they can be, even if they’re feral cats. Much like how you’d build relationships with other people, cats require an abundance of care and patience. By showing the lengths you’d go through for their comfort, they’re bound to gravitate towards you eventually. And once that happens, they’d think of you as their world.
And that’s the reason why their deaths are just as devastating as any beloved pet dying. They became your companion while they had their entire lives revolve around you. So, to honor them as much as you can, there are various ways to do so:
Make A Memorial
To honor your pet in the most traditional way possible, put up a memorial for them. It doesn’t need to be grand where you’ll have an altar with pictures or mementos all over. Although, if you have the funds to do so – and if this is what you think your cat deserves to have, even in their afterlife – then do what you believe is best.
But be that as it may, for those who are tight on money at the moment, don’t feel guilty if you can’t do a ‘proper’ memorial. Your desire to remember your cat is what’s more important. Even doing something as simple as having a framed photo of your cat somewhere in the house is enough. Have it surrounded with mementos of its entire life, such as:
- Its collar and leash
- Its favorite toys
- Its clothes (if you used to dress it up)
If you want to make your tradition, every time its birthday (or adoption day) comes by, offer their favorite treat in front of your memorial. There’s no harm in thinking your cat still lingers around your home, after all. So, it would appreciate it if you left out some snacks.
Plant New Life
Where one life ended, another would start anew. You might feel a part of you die along with your cat when it passed away. Although it seems like any normal pet, your cat became your silent confidant, best friend, and family in every way but blood. When burdened with one problem after another, the only source of comfort you might’ve found comes from your cat.
However, while understandable, succumbing to your grief for the rest of your life won’t do you any good. After all, your cat won’t be there to comfort you anymore. So, if you’re not ready to move on just yet, try finding a plant you can put somewhere around your house.
If you had your cat processed in Lawnswood Pet Cremation or other cremating services, use its ashes to put it in the plant’s soil. It can be a potted plant you could set down on your cat’s favorite spot. Or you could go to a store and look for a young tree to plant in your yard.
While plants are convenient (and some of them are easy to care for), if you’re looking for longevity, it’s highly recommended you go with trees. Under your care, it can grow as tall as your home, maybe even taller – depending on the species you choose. Through it, your cat’s memory remains since the entire reason why you planted it is to be reminded of your companion for years to come. And in return, it provides you shade while you’re staying outside your home.
So, in the end, your cat’s still there for you, even without its fuzzy body.
Express Through Art
Creativity is expressed in different ways. Regardless, your creativity is one way to truly be personal with your cat’s memory. After all, to perfect your creation, you need to be familiar with your reference, regardless of your medium. Even if you commissioned someone else to do it, the artist can grasp what they’re supposed to make and what emotion it should evoke based on your feelings.
To do that, be more open with what kind of pet your cat used to be. Remember what personality it has and do your best in relaying it through your hands (or the artist). As a result, it might not seem to be the textbook perfection others would expect, but what matters is how you see it. So, if it looks perfect to you, then it’s perfect already.
Adopt Another Pet
While you gave your cat all the attention in the world, the same can’t be said for others. Strays and rescue animals are still living without anyone caring for them. So, once you’re ready to move on, take in another cat.
Of course, you might feel like you betrayed your cat by taking another. But if you keep bearing that in mind, your capability to care for and nurture these animals will go to waste. While overcoming that mentality is tough, you have to move on instead of clinging too hard to your cat’s memory. Because doing so will prevent you from helping an animal that needs someone to look after it.
By allowing another pet inside your heart, only then could you be at peace with your cat’s passing.
Support Animal Shelters
As mentioned earlier, there are still strays and rescue animals that need help. However, if you’re not ready to take in one of them but still want to share your resources, show your support to nearby animal shelters. Since those establishments tend to be overcrowded with rescues, all the help you can give will be utilized. It can be through monetary donations or you offering your time to volunteer.
Go Down Memory Lane
One way to appreciate the life your cat had is to remember them. However, it’s much more honorable if you share your pet’s memory with others. By revealing tales about your pet cat, it’s enough for it to continue to live on through you and those who listened to your stories, even if it’s about that one time your pet did something so stupid it made you laugh so hard your stomach hurt at the time.
Why You Need To Honor Your Pet
The bond you’ve made with your pet is one in a million. It makes it difficult to find it from other people. Because within its short life, your cat showed its capacity for love. An emotion so pure, no one would expect it comes from a ‘cold and snobbish’ creature like a cat. And for that, it deserves to be honored for offering it so freely to you.
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