The Euthanization Process
Some people have never had to euthanize a furry family member and have no idea what the process is like. Your veterinarian will give your cat a shot to calm him or her and then take your cat to the treatment area to insert an IV. Your cat will then be returned to you and when you're ready, your veterinarian will give an injection that will stop the heartbeat and breathing and your cat will peacefully slip away. Afterwards, your veterinarian will ask you if you'd like to spend some time with the body. Many people are confused or even upset that the eyes don't close or if there are some last movements after death. This is all normal. Some people choose to have a veterinarian come to their house so that their cat can die in familiar surroundings.Handling the Remains
Another issue that you should think about long before the time comes is what you'll want to do with your cat's body. There are many options. If you want to bury it on your property, you must check the laws in your area, as this is illegal in many places. Some cities have pet cemeteries and you can get information on cost and services offered so that you can make a decision about this. Some people prefer to have the body cremated and returned to them. Many companies sell beautiful urns that are made specifically to store pet ashes. There are people who believe that the soul is important and the body is meaningless. These people will tell the veterinarian they do not want the ashes returned. Instead of the cost for cremation or burial, they will often make a donation to an animal charity in their cat's name so that an animal who is still on the earth can benefit. There are also "virtual cemeteries" on the web, such as www.rainbowsbridge.com that some people find comforting.Take Time for Yourself
Once your cat is dead and you have dealt with the body, it's important to take care of YOURSELF. Some people are lucky enough to have friends who realize what a difficult time this is and send cards and flowers, or make contributions to animal charities in your cat's name. Many charities have beautiful commemorative cards that are then sent to you to let you know about the gift.If your friends don't understand the relationship you had, you may want to find a chatline where you can communicate with people who understand. The Rainbows Bridge site has one and you can find others on the internet. You may want to make a "Memory Book" and put pictures, poems, prayers, cards, and other mementos in it so that you will always have it to remember this time. There are no rules for making one except that it should have meaning for YOU. Putting a Memory Book together can be very healing. Some people may choose instead to get an inspirational candle that is sold for this purpose and have a special prayer or "good-bye" service. Any ritual that helps you is a good one.
There are also many books about dealing with pet grief that you can read and get comfort and ideas from. No one wants to say good-bye to a furry loved one, but there is great peace in knowing that when the time came, you were able to do the most loving thing.
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