How to Choose an Urn For Your Dog or Cat

Your dog or cat was your best friend and part of your family.  A beloved companion that it is hard to say goodbye to.  If you have chosen cremation, the best way to honor your pet’s memory is by choosing an urn that suits him or her.  There are a number of factors that should be taken into consideration when seeking out and purchasing an urn.  Some of these factors are absolute and some are a matter of preference.

First, you will need to know your dog or cat’s weight prior to purchasing an urn.  This is so that you know what size urn to purchase.  You can weigh your pet yourself at home by standing on a scale, then standing on the scale with the pet and subtracting your own weight from that figure.  If this is not an option, you can also contact your veterinarian for your pet’s last recorded weight.  When searching for the perfect urn to memorialize your pet, keep in mind that one pound of body weight equals one cubic inch of ash.  As an example, if you have a dog that weighs twenty pounds, you will need an urn capable of holding 20 cubic inches.  These numbers should be readily available from any reputable distributor.

The next decision you must make is whether you are going to bury or display your pet’s urn.  If you choose to bury it, you will want to take the material the urn is made out of into consideration.  Decide whether or not you want the urn to last the weathering of being buried or whether you want it to decompose within the earth.  There are biodegradable urns available for this option.

If you would rather display the pet’s urn in your home, take your apartment or house’s decor into consideration.  Keep in mind that this urn is something you will be displaying to memorialize your pet for generations to come.  There are dozens of styles of dog and cat urns available online, and one is bound to suit your style and honor your pet at the same time.

There are two types of urn shapes that are most common.  One is the vase style that you are probably already familiar with, and the other is the “keepsake” box style.  The keepsake box can be large enough to put your pet’s tags or favorite toy inside with the ashes or anything else you feel your pet would like to take with in the afterlife.  However, if you plan to add anything besides your pet’s ashes to the urn, keep the cubic mass of the addition in mind when choosing a size.

Another important thing to consider when purchasing an urn for your departed pet is the material of the urn.  Read my next article for more information.