‘We sponsored an opera seat for our cat’: readers on commemorating their beloved pets

From a pottery paw print to a treasured tattoo, contributors share their ideas for keeping their pets’ memories alive.

‘I decided to realise a dream and have Kimi tattooed on my leg’

I lost my beloved yorkshire terrier Kimi Raikkondog Manton four days after his 10th birthday. He collapsed and passed away at the vet’s without me by his side, due to Covid restrictions. After receiving a lump sum of holiday money from my old job and a bonus from my new job, I decided to realise a dream. So I booked to have Kimi tattooed on my leg, more than 320 miles away in Edinburgh. Even though I could have bought a slightly better car with the money, I needed that tattoo more. The tattooist was fantastic – we talked non-stop for the seven hours that I was in the chair and I cried when I saw the finished tattoo. It means the world to me.

Lindsey Manton, Leicestershire

‘We sponsored an opera seat in the name of our cat’ (pictured above)

Mr Horatio Parmouk, our beloved cat, turned up at my house as a stray and never left. He was a large, black tom cat with the sweetest disposition and was named partly after Nelson, partly after a character in Downton Abbey. Everyone loved him; he had his own Facebook page, wore various outfits in return for a cat biscuit or six and even starred in an advert for a hat company. Before he passed, we sponsored a seat at the London Coliseum in his name, so opera-goers can now sit in his seat. He was a real feline character.

Cathy Peake, nurse manager, Barnet

‘I will have my dog’s ashes turned into a diamond, then set into a ring’

I had to have my beloved cairn terrier put to sleep this summer, after 15 years of having him constantly by my side. His death left a huge void, a deafening silence and a sense of loneliness and emptiness. To commemorate him, I will have his ashes turned into a diamond, which will then be set into a ring, so he can continue to accompany me wherever I go. His amazing, lively presence is missed so, so much.

Stephanie, freelance translator and interpreter, Midlands

‘I stamped my cat’s paw print on to the sides of a pottery project’

After our beloved Catherine Cattington was hit by a car, we had her cremated. Some of her ashes were incorporated into a beautiful resin model of a sleeping cat by an artist we found on Etsy and we also had an imprint taken of her paw. I was having pottery lessons so I made a stamp from the imprint and transferred it on to the sides of a milk jug I made, in lieu of a handle. In the absence of being able to hold my cat again, it helps to have tactile objects that remind me of her.

Valeria, archaeologist, Oxfordshire

‘We used gold paint to fill in the hole our hamster gnawed in the floor’

After our hamster Daisy died, we used gold acrylic paint to fill in the hole she had gnawed in the kitchen’s vinyl floor. It’s still there: a lasting memorial to an amazing pet. She was a very lovely hamster, who would rush around the kitchen floor in the morning while we all had breakfast. She would come to us when called by name, sometimes running up our legs and into our hands.

Jennifer, Cambridge

‘I carved the names of my dogs into a plaque when they passed’

I made a simple plaque carved with the names of my two German shepherds, Roman and Remus, who died within a short time of each other. It’s erected overlooking the garden where they are buried, and where I know they had happy lives. I don’t think I’ve much of a future as a carver, but the thought was there.

Andrew Lewis, carpenter and builder, Staffordshire

‘We gave Nelson’s toys away to our neighbours’ dogs’

When our lurcher Nelson passed away during lockdown, it was crushing. It took us some months to pluck up the courage before we placed a post on the local Facebook site asking dog owners to pop by and help themselves to one of his toys from his basket on our driveway. As a beautiful tribute, people started posting pictures of their own dogs with his toys. It was a small comfort to us to know that other dogs were enjoying them.

Nicholas and Sam Cook, Nottingham

(Article source: The Guardian)