Have you ever placed an In Memoriam announcement in the newspaper on the death of your cat?
I have never done this but now I see that it can be done I regret it. I think it is a nice thing to do. I am sure that many newspapers don’t have this facility but The Times does and there are a couple of announcements today:
In memoriam announcements for two cats
In Memoriam
Whiskas died on August 28 2015 aged 18. A beautiful cat who came to me as a stray aged three and who was home-loving and good natured. Still much missed by Julie Clough.
April died on September 14 2015 aged 19. A pure white cat, April came to me when she was four months old. An affectionate girl, she and Whiskas were the best of friends and I miss them both very much. Julie Cough.
It seems to me that these sorts of announcement are very healthy. They are a marker and public recognition of a cat’s life and his/her role in the life of his owner. The announcement declares to the world one’s love for one’s cat.
Perhaps it could be said that an In Memoriam announcement is part of the grieving process. It is healthy for that reason.
When I had a facebook page I dedicated albums in my photo section to my cats who’d passed. I wrote what I loved about them, and what they loved, a story or two along with photos of course. I think it’s honorable to honor them, just as we do people, perhaps more so as in many cases we were their whole world. People should know the joy and loss attributable to them, especially if it helps to encourage a kinder attitude with those who usually don’t give them a second thought.
My personal preference would be to post memorials to websites dedicated to pets instead of my local paper.
Almost 2 years ago I lost my Maine Coon kitten BearPaw to the cruel disease called FIP. A month and a half later my 8 year-old cat Teddy, who I only brought home from the rescue shelter 4 months prior, also succumbed to the disease. It was an extremely difficult time, and the worst part was knowing their lives were cut way too short. I had been browsing grief forums for pet owners and a web site called in-memory-of-pets was recommended to me. I found posting BearPaw and Teddy’s memorials and photos to be extremely therapeutic in the sense they would “live on” forever in cyberspace. Also, it was a way of showing how much they were loved and how much their lives mattered. It was very helpful to me, and I really recommend it to other pet owners dealing with grief.
I loved your comment Rena. Thanks for taking the time.
This isn’t something that I would do. A thought that just came to me, was that it would be a perfect target for sales people who would prey on grieving guardians, selling urns. gravestones, photo books, etc. Most people wouldn’t think of that, but anytime we expose our lives in the newspaper or online, we can become unwitting targets.
I’d send an email to friends with some pictures. I’ve written poems honoring some cats and dogs. Some of my friends create a memorium altar with pictures, toys, flowers, etc. I don’t do those things either.
BrightHaven, the animal sanctuary in Northern California, places dead animals “In State” with memorabilia around them. I’m not sure for how long.
It may be easier for me to let go of my beloved pet, knowing that I can’t hang on to what is gone. I’m a realist, and not very sentimental. I don’t keep ashes, fur, or any part of the animal to remember, but I still recall the personality and spirit of each animal I’ve ever had.
You make some good points as usual Sandy. You know me. I have the ashes of my cats and I am in favour of this sort of thing. It celebrates their life I think. It is a personal choice obviously.