Advice
Maybe wrong community, sorry—how long would it take for a year old cat to fully decompose?
Sorry if this is the wrong place for this post, please direct me elsewhere if you know a better sub. My family recently decided to sell the house I grew up in, where my one year old cat was buried in the yard. The house will most likely be bulldozed and redeveloped, and I can’t leave her there for that. I want to dig up her bones and bring her with me, but it’s been seven years. I don’t know if there’s anything left of her to bring. Do you think it’s worth starting to dig, or has it been too long? I’m in Canada, I assume the ~5 month winters would make some sort of a difference.
It’s worth digging to find out. At this point I would be shocked if there was any flesh or nastiness to find. The bones may have dissolved. Dirt also shifts around so the bones may have been pulled in different directions. If you’re wanting to try and dig up her bones then give it a shot. Plan on digging a wider area then the original grave.
Thank you. Apparently a (now dead) family member moved her without telling me. My dad knows “roughly” where she should be…the search area will be wide open
If she was buried as-is and not wrapped in anything, she'll be long decomposed, and the bones will still be there if nothing else has already dug her up. Most small animals fully decompose within 6 months to two years.
As long as you remember the exact spot, you shouldn't have any problem disinterring her.
Thanks. She was just in a cardboard box, I don’t imagine that would slow too much down. She was apparently moved without my knowledge but my dad thinks he knows where…fingers crossed.
You're not the first person to ask about exhuming a pet in here, don't worry. And a one year old cat is fully mature, so there should be solid bones left. Was she wrapped in something, or buried in some container? In the Canadian climate, 7 years is plenty of time for all the soft tissue to decompose.
I exhumed my cat after 4.5 years, for the same reason, as my street would be bulldozed to build new apartments. Bones can stay preserved in the soil for centuries or even longer, so 7 years is not that long, and there is a good chance you will find something. My tips would be; don't use a heavy shovel, it is easy to damage the skull or bones that way. Use a small garden trowel and carefully start taking off layers of soil. The bones will be stained brown and may be hard to distinguish from the earth, rocks, etc., so having a bucket of warm water with some dish soap to rinse things off helps. Go slow, and feel around carefully. Cast your search area wide, as bones can "travel" in soil over time. And take your time, I found my cat's remains quickly, but it still took me 3 hours to find most of her bones.
Good luck! I hope you find something.
edit: if you find her bones, do not boil them, whatever you may read elsewhere online. And never use bleach or other household chemicals. This sub has a FAQ pinned at the top with tips on how to safely clean and whiten (this is an optional step) bones.
Thank you. She was buried in a cardboard box, but I’d assume that wouldn’t slow down too much. Gentler tools is a good point I didn’t consider, thanks for the suggestion. The search area will definitely be decently sized…she was moved without my knowledge so not 100% sure where I’m looking now. I really hope I do manage to find her. I can’t imagine leaving her behind.
Cardboard decomposes quickly, so that won't be an issue after 7 years. The only way is to dig. Use a trowel and maybe a large spoon, and your hands, and go slow. Cat bones are smaller than you may think. Since she was a young female, her skull will be about the size of an average apple. And her bottom jaw will have separated into 2 loose jaw bones (not visible in the image below)
Good luck, I hope you find her! If not, filling a plant pot with soil from her grave site and putting an pretty evergreen plant in it, could be a nice way to keep the essence of her with you.
edit: once I found my cat's remains, I ditched the latex gloves as I just couldn't feel her smaller bones through them. After 7 years, there will be no more decomposing tissue left, so you're not taking any serious health risks if you need to do the same. Just don't touch your eyes and mouth until you washed your hands.
Per this sub's Rules 1, 6, and 9, posts seeking advice and identification are not open to jokes, memes, and other low effort comments. These comments will be removed and individuals may be banned from participating in this sub.
6
u/Chcknndlsndwch 1d ago
It’s worth digging to find out. At this point I would be shocked if there was any flesh or nastiness to find. The bones may have dissolved. Dirt also shifts around so the bones may have been pulled in different directions. If you’re wanting to try and dig up her bones then give it a shot. Plan on digging a wider area then the original grave.