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Memorials that touch your heart and that a friend or family can really love can be a challenge to find. So, when a reader wrote to ask “how do I memorialise a cat?” I called in expert help and gathered a selection of remembrance gifts from American and British artists online so you can create a heartfelt and loving memorial in a range of different materials to suit every taste and budget.

Looking for Pet Memorial Ideas

As every cat lover knows, losing your feline companion can be hard. A pet leaves a permanent imprint on your soul, whether they’ve been part of your family for years or only a few months. Pet memorials are a healthy way to grieve the loss of your friend and a memorial gift is also a caring way to show support with a gift to someone who has lost a pet of their own.

Cara Imperato is the talented co-creator of this post, which I hope you will find helpful. Please check all prices as they have have changed since this post was last updated.

Cara says:

“I’ve carefully chosen some unique pet memorial gifts, handcrafted by talented artists who are also animal lovers. Sharing your photo with the artist, talking a bit about your cat’s personality and watching your memorial come together is a beautifully therapeutic process. 

I found that sharing and appreciating cat-inspired art helped me work through the loss of my beloved cat, Callie. She only lived five short years, but her loving presence helped me survive the most turbulent period of my life. My blog, Kitty Curator, is an ongoing memorial to her beauty and unconditional love.

I look forward to hearing your favourite Pet Memorial Ideas in the comments! “

NOTE: As Carla is no longer curating and the demand is still constant for good memorials I am adding a limited range of fresh high-quality suggestions for pet memorials. This post uses affiliate links and she/we may earn a small commission from any sales made.

Mimandarina

Irene at Mimandarina is a young illustrator from Spain who adds a soft sweetness to her digital portraits. She is more than happy to customize little additions like flowers or bow ties to best represent the personality of your pet. She is an animal lover herself and wants to create something that really captures your cat’s essence.

Digital file from approx. $46.44, more depending on the number of pets. (Etsy)

Flower Floozy Designs 

You can tell right away that Karen Earnhardt, owner of Flower Floozy Designs, is a caring animal lover who will take great care to represent your beloved pet. She says, “Each piece of stained glass is cut and applied to the portrait to create a beautiful likeness of your special baby.” This custom-made mosaic starts at $200 (approx.), and would certainly be a treasured memorial. Etsy. Maybe commission a cat mosaic headstone or image to be mounted on a headstone. Pet memorials for the garden can be a really special gift for someone.

Jasmine’s Craft Cottage

For British pet owners, the exquisite small memorials from Jasmine’s Craft Cottage store are a delight to warm the heart. The simple model is handcrafted and comes with an optional halo, and/or a silver base. Colours can be customised to Black, Siamese, Tuxedo, Grey or Rustic White Shimmer.

Basic cost is approx. £20 and custom cats are available – price on application to Jasmine.

Cindi Hale Ceramic Art

I recently discovered a delightful and appealing animal sculptor, CindiHale, who sells on Etsy thanks to colleagues Dalton and Benji. The boys shared their collection of family miniatures and I know readers will find the range of custom and memorial miniatures perfect as small pet memories.

Cindi Hale also does seasonal ornaments e.g. Halloween or Christmas, and her Gay Pride Rainbow Fish Magnets will be beautiful gifts for the right person.

There are specific ordering instructions you need to follow. I set them out here so you can be ready to order. If you are ordering for a specific event e.g. Christmas, I suggest ordering very early and giving Cindi Hale the maximum amount of time to work with you.

• Please allow 10 days to 2 weeks for completion of custom sculpture.
• Each ceramic figurine is hand-built from a lump of clay, bisque-fired, glaze-painted, then fired again.
• No molds or casts are used. Each piece is original, ceramic art.
• Custom requests are welcomed. Please keep in mind that the turn-around time is 1 to 2 weeks , as the creative process involves several phases.

Ink Lane Design 

Elaine at Ink Lane Design (above) is the talented graphic designer behind these adorable digital illustrations. I love the whimsical feel. You send a photo and any requests for the background and wording. She even provides a proof in case you’d like revisions before it’s finished. Available as a digital file or high-quality print. Starts at $59.99, depending on the number of pets and printing options. (Etsy).

Peony Peacock Studio 

Imagine having an original watercolour of your sweet cat inside a beautiful necklace that you can wear close to your heart. Peony Peacock Studio makes every pendant from scratch – from the first sketch to the last stroke in her NYC home studio. The cat painting is sealed under clear glass and antique silver for approx. $59.95 (check for current prices). Also available as a key ring.

Smittens Knuffels 

I don’t know about you, but having a huggable version of my cat after he/she passed would be tremendously comforting. Anna of Smittens Knuffels hand makes each stuffed animal in her home in Amsterdam. As you can see from the picture, she takes great care to match the coat for a sweet representation of your furry companion. These pet stuffies are made to order for $60.81. (Etsy)

Shari Fawn Art 

I’m personally a fan of folk art, so I had to include a cat portrait in this style by Shari Fawn. It offers lots of room for adding fun cat quirks. The artist Shari will hand paint your portrait using acrylic on canvas. You’ll receive a sketch to approve before she begins painting. $70.00, $10.00 to add your pet’s name. (Etsy)

Artsy Emmy the Crafter 

These beautiful miniature portraits are 1.25″ X 2″ before framing. Artist, Emmy the Crafter, creates them using watercolor, acrylics, colored pencil and India ink. She then mats and frames your portrait with real wood picture molding. I chose to include this one because it’s affordable due to its size, but with all the attention to detail, you’d expect for a quality portrait. $44.99 Etsy

J Beth Bish 

If you’re a fan of pop art (or perhaps your cat had a very colorful personality…) – Jillian at J Beth Bish can create a custom piece of art for you. She’s happy to work with you until you’re happy with the image. She sends as a digital file, which you can then print on anything you’d like. $38.00, more depending on a number of pets.

Felted Animals Studio 

Linda is the Latvian felt artist behind these incredibly realistic custom cats. You must view her other creations on Etsy to get a sense of how much time and effort she puts into crafting an exact likeness of your beloved pet. There is even a wired skeleton so you can move the tail, paws and head. These custom cat figures are $70.00.

Nico Made Me 

Nicoleta makes these delightful portraits out of polymer clay. As she explains, “each detail is a tiny piece of colored clay added by hand. The process doesn’t involve painting, which makes it more difficult, but the finish is more realistic and the colors last longer.” $65.00 for one cat, additional depending on the number of pets.

Lianne Illustrates 

Mixed media and collage is also a huge favorite of mine, so forgive me for including yet another of my personal styles from Lianne Illustrates! I love the quirkiness of Lianne’s creations. She will create a sketch for your approval first, then begin the process of glueing the collage to high-quality paper. $51.95, additional depending on the number of pets. Etsy

Paint My Pooch Portraits of Cats and Dogs

For a lovely portrait on a budget, I suggest Paint My Pooch. Both Cats and Dogs feature on their web page, and you will find clear instructions to make sure you send a photograph that will look great once it’s finished, and on your wall.

You have the option of digital or framed portraits as well as lovely smartphone cases and can include one, two or three pets.

I am impressed by the outstanding range of testimonials on the site. People are genuinely delighted with the results of their orders. I really like that.

We pride ourselves on our industry leading design, print and paper quality. Not only that, we are proudly 100% carbon neutral.

Paint My Pooch

Nichole Piar 

Nicole Piar’s cat portraits are just magical. Her style of watercolor, along with her natural intuition, comes together to create something truly unique. She works closely with you to understand your cat’s personality to bring it to life in a gorgeous painting you can cherish. $250.00 Artist Own Site.    

Thanks to Cara for a collection of inspired pet memorial jewellery and rememberance gifts for pets. If you would prefer to avoid shipping charges I suggest researching local craftspeople. For something heavier like a cat grave stone or a garden memorial for a dog this is a great idea.

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