Conference misery::feline_v1

    I know nothing about the cemetary, but if you're concerned about her
    being disturbed perhaps cremation would be a better alternative.  Then
    you could think of something appropriate to do with the ashes.  I 
    expect that's what I'll do with mine when the time comes.  I couldn't
    stand the thought of them being dug up years later.  I'd rather they
    returned to the soil.
      Nancy DC

         We had Fluffy cremated when he died; they returned him to us in a
    beautiful marble urn.  Tufts charged us $100 for the cremation and urn;
    I don't know how much your vet would charge.
    
         Even though we own our own home, we are thinking of moving in a
    few years, so we didn't want to bury Fluffy at home and then leave him. 
    This way he will travel with us wherever we go.
    
    					- Andrea

    There's a pet cemetary/crematory in Plymouth, Ma, too - it's a
    bit of a drive for those folks in the mid-western part of the state.
    
    (noticed their ad in the Yellow Pages the other day)
    
    jack

    
    My deepest regret is that I did not have Zach and Chloe cremated
    so they would be with me now.  I chose not to have it done and
    totally blocked out of mind what may have happened to the remains.
    Although it makes my heart ache to even think about it, when the
    time comes for Bailey, I will definately have him cremated.
    
    
    

    It looks like your note is from the San Francisco area. If this is
    correct you can almost bet without a doubt that Zach and Chloe were
    cremated.  Talking with my family in Dublin, CA they have made all
    their arrangements for cremation. They are both young, in their 30's
    but the funeral director told them cemetary plots are available for
    a price but they should start paying for them now, and MAYBE the plot
    would be paid off at the time of their death.
    
    I agree with Nancy, return to the earth.
    
    Over the years all our pets have been cremated, regardless of how they
    died.
    
    Barbara

    There's one in my town (Middleboro, MA) that is a pet cemetary/
    crematory.  I believe it's called Angel Pet Cemetary/Crematory.
    You can have a private plot plan, a mass burial plan, or cremation
    of your pet.  
    My opinion is that land will become a scarce commodity in the not
    too soon future, and a pet cemetary will not hold up as untouchable
    land for development.
    
    L-

>    My opinion is that land will become a scarce commodity in the not
>    too soon future, and a pet cemetary will not hold up as untouchable
>    land for development.
    
as they have already sold several cemetaries for human remains and forced
families to move the bodies (or they simply moved unclaimed remains into mass
grave sites), I think this is a PROBABILITY for pet cemetaries.  I would
be sure to select a pet cemetary FAR from the towns or cities around it if
burial is a strong requirement.

    I also had Kitty cremated and feel pretty good about it.  It cost me 
    $75.00 (I think) and I got a decorate tin w/ his ashes in it as I
    requested a seperate cremation.  I felt as though if I asked for a
    seperate cremation the people involved in it would know that I cared
    about him enough to do it and would take extra care in the process.
    I might be wrong - I mean who would want a job like that?  But, I feel
    good about it anyway.  He will always be w/ us!
    
    Geez, this note is bringing back bad memories!
    Sonia

    Titi is still alive!  She did finally respond to the steroids with
    which the vet was trying to kickstart her bone marrow.  Her red count
    went to 31% which is more than sufficient (in the 20s suffices for a
    housecat, which Titi has now become).
    
    She had a lot of weight gain from the steroids, though, and that
    prompted the vet to consult the head of feline medicine at Angell
    Memorial [it's the hospital run by the Mass. SPCA, and is nationally
    -maybe internationally- famous].  Turns out there's a bioengineered
    arithropoetin, which is the substance that fires up the bone marrow,
    and although it was developed for humans they have some practical
    knowledge about dosage for other animals.  Anyway, this stuff is so
    potent that a cat could be brought from terminal anemia to hypertension
    in less than a month's time, and unlike steroids which act to stimulate
    the failing kidneys into producing the hormone, this stuff *is* the
    hormone.
    
    Now my only problem is to figure out a way to bring her muscle tone
    back up and keep her kidneys functioning.  
    
    I found out that, contrary to my intuition, dry catfood such as Cat
    Chow or Meow Mix is the worst for any cat with kidney problems because
    the proteins are relatively indigestable and really make the kidneys
    work hard.  I don't know whether canned foods are similarly bad, but
    given the ingredients are similar I'd guess they are.  Kidney failure
    kills a lot of older cats, so I'm trying to shift my mob to low-protein
    KD, which can be had through the vet, cottage cheese, yoghurt, and
    eggs.  The latter three all have very digestable protein, and I was
    given a list by Dr Bernstein (the feline specialist at Angell) saying
    how much a cat is meant to have of each every day.
    
    Titi has by no means recovered to her pre-crisis state, and maybe she
    never will, but it's enough that she still seems to be enjoying life
    each day in her own way.  She's been a lovely person and wonderful
    friend ever since the day my younger daughter brought her home from
    death row at the humane society, nothing but ears and a little spike
    tail, so small she could sit on the palm of my hand. 
    
    						=maggie

    Good for Titi, and her Mom who loved her so much that she
    went the extra mile and made sure she had done everything 
    she could.
    
    Keep us posted.
    
    Barbara and her 3M's

    Maggie,
    
    I'm glad to hear the good news about Titi. K/D will be worth the extra
    money for her, but I would questin putting the other cats on it if they
    don't have kidney problems. Outside of the expense, it just isn't the
    right diet for "normal" cats.  However, if you'd like to put them on a
    better diet, I'd suggest any of the premium diets like Science Diet,
    Iams, Old Mother Hubbard, Blue Seal, etc. These foods are all low in
    magnesium ash to help ward off FUS. A few days on any of these diets
    and you will notice a magnificant change in your cats' coat. 
    
    As for exercise, have you got a kitty tease? It is like a short fishing
    pole with a cloth bowtie at the end. They are inexpensive and cats love
    them.
    
    good luck,
    Deb 

    maggie...
    
    great to hear titi is doing so much better!  sounds like you have done
    everything and then some.  what a great kittymum...
    
    diane, stanley & stella
    

This may be a bit late for the original noter, but in nashua, NH the Nashua 
Humane Society on Ferry Road has both a crematorium and a pet cemetary.