Cat just passed, but cremation place isn't open until Monday

[tclark13]

My cat just passed away in my arms. I called an animal cremation place but they are closed until Monday. How can I best keep her body until then? That seems like a long time to wait, right now I have her wrapped in her favorite shirt of mine in a box. Don't know what to do.

 

[little cutie66]

I am so sorry for your loss. I would call the local vet and have them keep the cat until Monday.

 

[kittens mom]

My cat just passed away in my arms. I called an animal cremation place but they are closed until Monday. How can I best keep her body until then? That seems like a long time to wait, right now I have her wrapped in her favorite shirt of mine in a box. Don't know what to do.

Contact her regular vet perhaps or make a place in your refrigerator or chest freezer. That might sound awful but I would do it for one of my own cats.

I am deeply sorry for your loss and this must be distressing.  I suppose a vet clinic could also tell you the best way to keep her body safe for a few days.

 

[zed xyzed]

I am so sorry for your loss. 

 

[jenny82]

I'm very sorry for your loss.

 

[catpack]

First, I am so sorry to hear your cat has passed. Had she been sick? How old was she? Having them pass unexpectedly at home can certainly be traumatic!

Yes, you need to either have your vet keep her or place her in the freezer. (I know, sounds horrid!)

One of our cats passed away suddenly/unexpectedly about 18 months ago, here is how I preserved his body:
Double wrap in garbage bags. Place in large cooler with ice loosely covering the body.

This preserved his body well enough for 14 hours to do a necropsy the following morning.

If you do not cool the body down enough (this is why a freezer/ice chest/cooler is needed) the body will begin to decompose after about 24 hours.

 

[nurseangel]

I'm so sorry for your loss.  

  I don't much to add to the above advice, but if you can't get your regular vet after hours, you could try calling around to the emergency vet clinics that are open 24/7.   I bet they would be able to provide some kind of arrangement until Monday.

 

[di and bob]

I agree with keeping the body cool in a chest or box with ice in a bag and the box you have her in put in plastic also. I am sorry you have to have this added on to your grieving, try to remember that the 'essence' of your little girl is already gone and what is left behind is what housed what was truly her. Please accept my condolences and come back  to this site when you are ready and leave us a tribute to your girl, she deserves to be mourned by many, every little life that is extinguished needs to be acknowledged in this world, she was a beloved member of your family and I hope your precious memories of happier times will comfort you in your time of sorrow. Take care, and know you are not alone in your grief........  

 

[tclark13]

Thank you everyone. Her name was Lil and I had her since she was born 6 years ago when i was 22. I had her mom also so I got to see her be born. She was long haired and black, I had to brush her daily. She was also my least-liking people cat, had a skittish personality and would let few people hold her except me. Even when she was a baby she was the last kitten to want to venture out of the room, or check things out.

About 2 years ago I noticed her losing weight and her ears and eyes looked yellow. Took her to a vet who said it looked like a liver problem but without a lot of expensive testing he couldn't be sure. And he said that even if I did all the testing and they found out what it was, liver problems have a notoriously bad prognosis and in his med school they had a term "yellow cat, dead cat". He said she probably didn't have long with how yellow and thin she was so i should enjoy my time with her and prepare.

I went home upset and for the next few months I fed her anything I could to get her to gain weight, but expecting any day for it to be her last. However months passed and her yellow seemed to go away, she started gaining weight. She never got fully better, was always a little yellow and thin but a year later I sort of thought hey maybe the doctor was wrong. Over 2 years later she would get more yellow for a few days and then it would go away again. I was convinced she would live a normal long life but just might be a little sickly at times.

Thursday day she was fine as always but I noticed her more yellow than usual this week. Thursday night she didn't eat her nightly treat, which I thought was odd. Friday morning I woke up and she was under my bed instead of next to my pillow like always. I coaxed her out and she seemed ok but just kind of weak. I had an important meeting at work that I had to be at, so I left saying that I would take her to the vet when I got home.

I got home at 5pm Friday and she was back under my bed. This time when I petted her she didn't move and her breathing looked very shallow and fast. I pulled her out and up onto the bed in my lap and she was just limp, extremely yellow and couldn't even lift her head. I started to try to get her water but she vomited and started making horrible crying gasp noises. I put her back in my lap and just cried and held her telling her how much I lover her and how sorry I was, and minutes later she was gone. I wouldn't have even had time to take her anywhere. I'm just glad she waited until I got home to be with her.

My vet is closed this weekend, I took yalls advice and wrapped her up and have her in my ice chest outside. Will be able to take her Monday morning.

Her mom died a few years ago so now I just hope there is somewhere animals go after they die and they are together now. It still doesn't help the hollow empty feeling I have though without her.

This last Monday my friend from high school died in an unexpected accident, and so I was already grieving him and planned to go to his funeral on Monday, I guess now after I take Lil to the cremation place. I just feel so incredibly stressed and sad like i can't breathe... this has been the hardest week I've had in a long time.

 

[ginny]

I'm so sorry for the loss of your dear little kitty Lil!  Like @Di and Bob  said, you are not alone.  Most of us here have lost precious pets and understand the pain.  And this on top of losing your friend, too.  I'm very sorry!

 

[misty8723]

I am so very sorry for your loss. We had a similar thing when Cindy passed at home on a Saturday morning. We wrapped her little body in her blanket and put her in a cooler packed with ice. We got a lot of ice in bags and kept it packed until we could take her to cremation on Monday. It was a long, sad weekend, and I know the pain you are going through. 

 

[di and bob]

I am so thankful you were with her at the end, it broke your heart in two, but I'm positive it comforted her so much and helped her to pass knowing she was held by the one she loved the most in the world. I cry with you, you have had a horrible week full of pain and sorrow, I am so sorry you had to go through all this. Somehow life does go on, there are days when I don't know how. but I cling to the fact that I  know in my heart my little one would never want me to be so sad when I think of her, but be happy and go on, just as I would want for her if I went first. It hurts so bad to have them leave us behind, but horrible things happen to nice people through no fault of their own, just hang in there and know you are not alone and we will help where we can. The past you have with your Lil can never be taken from you as long as you are alive, nor can the bond you formed with her ever be broken. Thank you for telling us the story of your little girl, it defines who she was and lets us mourn her too, as she deserves. You have lost a significant part of your life, so cry all you want, I'll pray for you and Lil, RIP beautiful Lil, you were so very much loved and will be forever held in a loving heart! 

 

[jcat]

I'm very sorry for your loss of Lil, and of your high school friend. So much sorrow all at once.

 

[tarasgirl06]

Firstly,, my heartfelt condolences for your double loss.  Our beloved Mainey man passed very unexpectedly at 21, in the evening after the usual crematory we use was closed, and it was on a Friday evening.  I called our closest emergency veterinary hospital and they very kindly took him and called for the crematory of my choice to let them know he was with them.  The crematory called to let me know they had him.  Every step of the way, I was given caring and professional help.  He was delivered to me after about a week, as usual.  Do try your emergency veterinary hospital/clinic.  Mine did all of this without charging a cent.  Again, my heartfelt condolences go out to you. 

 

[genuine5876]

Hello,

I just read your threads about you're two cats. I'm so sorry. I've been researching cat breast cancer because my old polydactyl kitty who I found on Craigslist and thought she was a kitten has lumps in one of her nipple regions and I wanted to see if there's anything at home to do to make her comfortable. When I was 18, just before my parents divorced, we had to suddenly put down my 15 year old cat I had had since she was a kitten from liver failure. We took her in to have her checked. We didn't expect her to be put down. It's so hard to loose loved ones, even if they're pets. I'm so sorry about your cats and your friend. I know it's been almost a year now. But I cried so much reading this all. I had to send my condolences, even if it's late.

 

[TenaR]

My cat just passed away early this morning from kidney failure. The funeral home instructed me to keep in garage, basement or if cold outside in car. It is too warm where I live so my darling (cat) is in my fridge until Monday. I'm terribly sorry for your loss as these furbies are like our children. My heart is with you.

 

[tarasgirl06]

My cat just passed away early this morning from kidney failure. The funeral home instructed me to keep in garage, basement or if cold outside in car. It is too warm where I live so my darling (cat) is in my fridge until Monday. I'm terribly sorry for your loss as these furbies are like our children. My heart is with you.

The original post is several years old, so I don't know if your post will be read; but I wanted to express my heartfelt condolences for your loss of your sweet cat. This is so sad. The one I use is closed on Sundays and I do not know about during the holiday times, but I have had to opt for burial instead of preferred cremation at times. I am so very sorry.

 

[FeebysOwner]

TenaR - and our hearts are with you as well. So sorry for your loss, and the added stress of not being able to take care of your loved one in a different manner. You too can pay a loving tribute and homage to your sweetie in the Crossing the Bridge section of this site - all the stories and pics that you want - when you are ready to do so. I don't know if it is something that you would want to do, but something that others have done - which I would never have thought of with my lost cats - is to ask for a cutting of his/her hair to keep with you forever. I know when Feeby's time comes (she too has kidney disease), I will be doing so. I wish I could go back and do the same for my other cats. But it is what it is.

 

[TenaR]

Thank you so much. I live in an apartment complex so burial is not an option. As for the thread, my bad. This old lady doesn't see as good as she use to. I was trying to figured out the science behind how long one can keep an animal in their fridge and this thread popped up. I took my baby out and double bagged her just to be safe. Three days seems like a bit of time, enough for severe decomposition. The weather should cool down I'm hoping enough to put her out in the car. Ok, so reading this sounds morbid and feeling-less but rest assured I love my furbies. Again, thank you for the condolences. My second one since moving here. Last baby was 22 years old, Tigeria was 10.