Shadow's Ashes Are Home Options

[BOO]

She's home. As I walked up to our front door with the urn in my arms, I thought of how she used to scramble excitedly in her carrier as I approached the door. She always knew she was home. She'd wiff and sniff and poke her paws thru the carrier door as if to say "Hurry up Mom! Open the door! Lemme out!"

She's come home one last and final time.

When I went thru the arrangements with the assistant at the Emergency Animal Clinic, I knew I wanted her cremated privately, but I had no idea what I would do to lay her to rest. Putting her outside just doesn't seem right. She was an indoor kitty entirely. She *HATED* to be outside.

Has anyone just kept their urn and not scattered the ashes? As humans, our rituals always seem to revolve around returning our loved ones to the earth. I kinda feel like I am denying her that final step. But she hated to be outside...

I'll keep them for now, to touch and hold. I may change my mind in the future, but at least for now... she is home.

[JOANNE]

BOO, IAM GLAD SHADOW IS HOME. WHEN I GOT RAGGS ASHES THEY ARE IN AN URN AND I PUT SOME OF HIS FUR I HAD TAKEN THE DAY HE DIED AND IT IS IN THERE TOO. I DO NOT PLAN TO SPREAD HIS ASHES I WILL KEEP THEM IN MY BEDROOM WHERE I KISS THE URN AM AND PM. HE ALSO WAS AN INSIDE DOG BUT HE LIKE OUTSIDE TOO BUT I WANT THAT PART OF HIM AS LONG AS I LIVE. I WAS UPSET WHEN THEY CALLED ME TO PICK UP HIS ASHES BUT WHEN I GOT IN THE CAR I SAID BABY BOY YOU ARE GOING HOME AGAIN. NOT MUCH REPLACEMENT FOR THE WET KISSES AND WAGGING TALE AND FOLLOWING ME EVERY WHERE. SO NO I PLAN TO KEEP HIS ASHES. THEY ARE A COMFORT
RAGGS MOM JOANNE

[Simba's Daddy]

My Simba was an indoor kitty too. I had him from the day he was born to the day he went to the rainbow bridge. So for me, it only seemed right to keep him with me when I brought his ashes home. The cremation place sent me a poem with everything. I put his favorite stuffed mouse in with him and then placed him up in my glass hutch cabinet with the poem resting on it standing up. Now everyday I can still be with him and walk by him... even talk to him still.

I feel very good about what I did with Simbas' remains and feel that he is happy with what I did.

[eclipse]

Boo, I am glad that Shadow is home, and I can really relate to what you've said here. The memories of how things used to be before this one last homecoming flood you just as you open the door. In addition to a door being a physical object, there is symbolic meaning too, so it doesn't suprise me that you immediately remembered how safe and comfortable Shadow felt once she was through that door, and HOME with YOU!

I also struggled with the idea of scattering Valentina's ashes. It doesn't seem right to me, not just because she was an indoor cat, but mostly because someone dumped her outside in freezing February as a tiny kitten. (Both my kitties were "throwaways"). I promised her she would never have to deal with that again, so to scatter her ashes outside just seems like going back on my word. I will keep the urn with me and decide what to do for a memorial as the days pass.

[Shortrish]

I am glad that Shadow has made that final journey home to be with you. We have our Scooter's ashes with us. It is small comfort, but, he is here with us, and lives on in our hearts forever. We have Scooter's ashes, in a glass cabinet, that is surrounded with all of the angels I collect. I didnt' even realize at the time, that he was surrounded by my angels. I was too upset to even think straight at that time. Scooter was an indoor cat also, so we will keep his ashes with us, as we promised he would be coming home to us again, and be with us.

I talk to him every day. We miss him terribly. The pain has eased some, but today, I had tears. We might be moving, and the thought of leaving the house where scooter loved to look out these windows and into our yards is more than I can bear right now. I wonder, will his spirit come with us? Or, will he be lost in this house wondering where we are. Crazy thoughts, I know, but that's just how I felt today. How could I ever leave the place where we lived with him?

I know that where ever we go, he will live in our hearts, but he has given us signs here, that he is with us.

Anyway, I know that Shadow is glad to be home again, free from any pain and suffering, and is watching over you.

[beecherbabe]

Dear Boo,

I am glad Shadow is now home with you. There is nothing wrong with keeping Shadow's ashes in the Urn. I have my baby Charlie's urn next to his brothers Gizmo's urn on my dresser, with both of their pictures and favorite toys on my dresser. I talk to both of them everyday. I hope that Shadow's return home has helped you feel a little better.

I will keep you and Shadow in my prayers.

Michelle

[Kim R.]

I, too, have my Sasha's ashes at home with me. My entire family knows...and have known for years before she even died......that I also want to be cremated when I pass and our ashes mixed together. We will then be buried together. There is nothing at all wrong with keeping her ashes if you want to. It actually sems more the norm!

[5catsmom]

It's a bittersweet feeling to have a beloved lost one home when all is said and done, but like so many others I have all my pets (feline and bunny) at home, in a curio case in our dining room. I, too, pass them several times a day and always say something to them. I 've told all my loved ones that when I pass, I want all our ashes placed in the same place - urn, niche, coffin, whatever - it may get pretty full by then, I think. When he's in a morbid mood, my hubby says he'll put all the cats together and let them fight it out where they'll rest. What's most important, I think, is that we'll be together in eternity.

[Daisy's Mommy]

I kept Daisy's ashes in a beautiful pink marble container on a lovely glass table with bamboo plants and the sympathy cards I received. At first, I wasn't sure about keeping the ashes, and then I knew that, although Daisy's soul is with God, she would be happy to know that we kept this remberance of her. I could not bear to scatter her.

Many people keep urns of loved relatives at cemetaries or even at home.

Sometimes, I find comfort in looking at the the beautiful marble with the wonderful inscription. Other times, I feel so sad - thinking - that is all that is left of my Daisy here on earth. I want her back.

But, however I feel, I know her ashes belong with me until the day I die. Where else could I put my best friend and baby's earthly remains?


Daisy's Mommy

[Kurbysma]

Kurby's urn is in a shadow box on my wall with an angel on top. I also have several 8x10 pics of him surrounding his shadow box. I look at his pics every night and talk to him. I had to keep him inside with me as that is where he always was.....


Kim and 5cats,

I have also told my husband and parents when I go, I wish to be cremated and have my ashes spread over the ocean, along with Kurby's ashes. I can't imagine not being with him after this life.....

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[5catsmom]

Kurbysma,
I also briefly considered that -having the ashes mixed and scattered, but then realized that my kids - and hubby too, if he survives me - would want a place to visit, and any remaining pets could be interred close by or in the niche or whatever it is where these urns go. I also know that it has to be in Wyoming, which is my home, and the home of my heart as well. Each to his own, though, and I feel that there's something almost holy about the ocean as well, for just your reason for being scattered there.

[Precious' mom]

I'm so glad Shadow's ashes are finally with you. It's a sense of relief and a sort of bittersweet homecoming...but your baby is physically with you, in another form but WITH YOU!! I too couldn't bear to bury Precious; he'd always been with me (indoors) and I didn't even consider that. Cremation was the only option. It took a week and a half for his ashes to be returned but they were, and the urn gets attention in the morning after I get up, in the evening when I return home from work and always right before I turn out the light and go to sleep. Just as it was when he was alive. I consider the ashes him but in a different form. I talk to the urn, hug it and even cry over it (not much anymore but there still are some times). He's been gone two months yesterday and yes I miss him very much...but he is still with me in more ways than one! Physical death does not break that bond, something I never even thought of when Precious was alive but it is true because I can still feel his presence all the time and it is SO comforting. In fact, I saw not one but two monarch butterflies today, so he is definitely communicating his love for his mummy!!
Lisa