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Catster Poll Results
Taxidermy for your cat? Do you think it is appropriate to stuff your beloved kitty after he/she goes to the Rainbow Bridge?
| To each his own... (31.45%) |
| NO WAY! (63.47%) |
| I am considering it. (3.24%) |
| Yes, I have done it. (0.00%) |
| Other (Leave a comment!) (1.83%) |
Results based upon 709 poll voters
Leave A Comment | 28 people already have
Meowmy had Speck and I cremated when we crossed the Bridge. Now we can go with her and always be close. Her daddy would tease her that he wanted to "stuff" their sweet boy Red when he passed...No way! However you choose to honor your babies, they will always be in your memories and in your heart.
Alan Alda said it best in the title of his book..."Never Have Your Dog Stuffed." He talked about having a childhood pet stuffed and how it was completely unnerving to everyone who saw it. Nope, not going to be stuffed.
I voted "to each their own" - but we personally would never do it. I have never seen an animal preserved through taxidermy that came anywhere close to having the look of "life behind his/her eyes."
That would just be way too depressing, almost like death frozen in time. I would want to see all the pictures of the sparkle in my kitties' eyes-not that death look that taxidermy has.
My Dolly's box of ashes makes me sad every time I see it. I can't imagine looking at her lifeless little body stuffed on a shelf. That's just macabre.
To each his own but I could never do that It would make there memory void of all the good about her and make me to sad.
NO!!! WHO EVER DOES THAT IS CRAZY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I agree with Darlene W. Pictures are happier ways to remember those who go to the bridge.
No way let them rest in peace
No way would meowmy have us "stuffed" after we passed to the bridge. Why would anyone consider stuffing a pet? We're part of the familly and you don't hear about anyone ever stuffing a family member! MOL It would be too hard for meowmy if she did have us "stuffed".
No way would meowmy have us "stuffed" after we passed to the bridge. Why would anyone consider stuffing a pet? We're part of the familly and you don't hear about anyone ever stuffing a family member! MOL It would be too hard for meowmy if she did have us "stuffed".
I know most have purred they would never do that but.......
my redhead said for years she wanted to have me stuffed.....and she WAS serious too!
Then when my time came to go to the bridge, she instead has chose to have my my ashes instead....
she sometimes get sad when she sees ME but she also wishes she could really see me....I don't think Hector & GGMMolly would have liked that thou.
my redhead said for years she wanted to have me stuffed.....and she WAS serious too!
Then when my time came to go to the bridge, she instead has chose to have my my ashes instead....
she sometimes get sad when she sees ME but she also wishes she could really see me....I don't think Hector & GGMMolly would have liked that thou.
Roy Rogers had Trigger stuffed and it looks fairly lifelike, but I can't get past the fact that it's...well...let's just say it's not REALLY Trigger. I would feel the same if I saw either of my two little deceased girls stuffed - it's not them.
I feel the same about posting as them now that their gone, but it does comfort some people, which is why I voted "To each his own".
And for those who are curious, here's Trigger...don't worry, Roy is wax: http://www.flickr.com/photos/97176371@N00/18319663 31/
I feel the same about posting as them now that their gone, but it does comfort some people, which is why I voted "To each his own".
And for those who are curious, here's Trigger...don't worry, Roy is wax: http://www.flickr.com/photos/97176371@N00/18319663 31/
There's a space between the last two 3's in my link. Just take out the space and it will work.
*sigh* And that should be they're not their in my original post...
Our mum actually does a little taxidermy, but she would never "stuff" us, or any feline, even if the owner wanted her to. Just thinking about a dead kitty makes her too sad, she could never "prepare" one in that way. Another thing to think about with taxidermy is that it is really only the skin that is preserved, so the rest is thrown away, burned or buried, eyes are replaced with glass, and the skin stretched over a cat-shaped manikin.Probably not going to much resemble the beloved pet in life no matter how good a job is done, although a "sleeping" pose is more convincing than other poses. There is also the option of having pets freeze dried, a different process which preserves the entire body, although mum isn't sure, the internal organs and eyes may come out for that process. In any case, mum gets too sad when she sees any kitty dead to want to have that done to us either. Cremation, maybe, she did that for a beloved rat once. She doesn't like the thought of bugs eating us or of us rotting away, but the living may have more reverence for the bodies once inhabited then does the one who has passed and is beyond caring. She must admit, she'll be rotting away someday to just like her beloved lost kitties. We are all made of meat and nature isn't as sentimental as a mommy is. She feels lucky to live where all her beloved kitties are buried, at least, and hopes someday she can afford to make this place into a kitty sanctuary that will persist long after her own demise and save many kitty lives. She thinks that would be a nicer tribute to us than a pelt stretched on a cat shaped form.
By the way, taxidermy and freeze drying are costly. Perhaps using that $ to save some kitties by giving to a no-kill shelter or to provide spays and neuters or medical care to cats in need is a more meaningful tribute that could make a human feel a little better, instead of just having a dead lump of fur to look at and periodically spray with moth repellent. Does seem kinda selfish for someone to spend $ on "preserving" a cat who already got to be loved and live its life and can't benefit from this expenditure when so many kitties are dying needlessly every day and every one of them is just as precious and worthy of a chance to live as the kitties who have passed.
I agree completely, Vincent.
We voted to each his own. Mama always teased me that she was going to have me made into a rug cuz I was forever under her feet... mol!! But I'm buried where my nana lives and mama can come visit my resting place.
Our Momma has had DC, Molly and Me cremated, and has our little boxes of Ashes with her, "Forever" . She has found little Kitty figurines that resemble each of us, which are standing next to our boxes. That' s about as "close" to having anything that resembles us, besides the stuffed (toy) kitties that she has, for each of us. She has her pictures & precious happy memories!
Momma had me buried in the backyard. Ashes to ashes,dust to dust.
Money is much better spend on the the living, I agree wtih Vincent.
Money is much better spend on the the living, I agree wtih Vincent.
That's a bit disturbing... insert *Psycho* references. Mounting a beloved companion animal vs. a trophy animal's skin is a big stretch in what one would or should be comfortable having in their home. But in a way, 'to each his own'.
Mama worked next door to a taxidermist and she talked to him 'bout this one time. She thought she wanted to have my bruther I didn't know preserved this way. The taxidermist said he refused to do pets because no one was ever happy with them. Steve said it was because the pets would look very real but they WEREN'T and they didn't respond or move (well, DUH!) and that it made the people very very sad to SEE their loved babies but not be able to have the relationship with them. Mama said that made alot of sense to her & she was glad she talked to him about it.
The way I see it, it all depend on the cat/owner relationship. If the relationship as strong, go for it! If not, don't!!
I really don't think that taxidermy is appropriate for my pets, and for a lot of other people.
Seeing your little baby lifeless, with no sparkle in their eyes, is just as bad as seeing him/her lieing on the floor... dead... :'(
Seeing your little baby lifeless, with no sparkle in their eyes, is just as bad as seeing him/her lieing on the floor... dead... :'(
...please dont stuff me!
That's sick! I may not (quite) consider my cats family members, but I'd as soon stuff grandpa as stuff the cat!
I don't think it's inappropriate but think that it might inhibit the natural grieving process for some people, then possibly re-initiate it when the taxidermied version deteriorated, which is inevitable since it no longer has the vibrance of life within it. I'm very grateful for pictures and videos though!
August 12th 2009 at 1:30 pm