Losing a pet is one of the most quietly devastating experiences a person can go through. They were there every morning, every evening, every ordinary moment in between — and then suddenly they're not. The grief is real, even when the world doesn't always treat it that way.
Choosing an urn for a pet is an act of love, and it deserves the same care and thoughtfulness you'd bring to any decision about honoring someone you loved. Here's what to know.
Start With Size
Size is the most practical consideration, and it's worth getting right before anything else.
A common rule of thumb: one cubic inch of urn capacity per pound of body weight. A 10-pound cat would need roughly 10 cubic inches. A 60-pound dog would need around 60 cubic inches. This is a guideline, not a hard rule — cremated remains can vary — but it's a reliable starting point.
At Boyce Studio, our urns are sized as follows:
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Small urns — up to approximately 50 cubic inches, suitable for cats, small dogs, and other small pets
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Medium urns — up to approximately 100 cubic inches, suitable for medium-sized dogs and larger pets
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Large urns — up to approximately 200 cubic inches, designed for adult humans but sometimes chosen for very large dogs or to hold multiple pets together
When in doubt, size up. An urn that's slightly larger than needed will always work. One that's too small won't.
Think About Where It Will Live
This question matters more than most people realize when they're in the early stages of grief.
Some families want a pet's urn in a central, visible place — on the mantel, on a bookshelf, beside a favorite chair. Others prefer something more private, tucked in a bedroom or a quiet corner. And some families eventually choose to bury the urn in the garden, scatter the ashes in a meaningful place, or inter them at a pet cemetery.
Where the urn will live shapes what kind of urn makes sense. If it will be displayed openly in your home, you'll want something beautiful enough to feel at home there — not something that looks out of place or clinical. If burial is the plan, you'll want a material that can safely return to the earth.
Choosing a Material
Solid wood is one of the most popular choices for pet urns, and for good reason. Wood is warm, natural, and ages gracefully. It feels like a living material — fitting for an animal that spent its life in motion. A well-crafted wooden urn will look beautiful on a shelf for decades.
At Boyce Studio, every pet urn is made from sustainably sourced solid wood — walnut, elm, maple, and other California hardwoods. No veneers, no engineered materials. Each piece has its own unique grain, which means the urn holding your pet is unlike any other in the world.
If you're planning a burial, ask about a natural finish — beeswax or oil instead of a synthetic sealant — so the urn can decompose safely and return to the earth alongside your pet's remains.
Other common materials include ceramic, metal, and resin. These can be beautiful, but they vary widely in quality. Look closely at what you're actually buying — many "wood" urns online are MDF or particleboard, and many "marble" urns are cast resin. When in doubt, ask.
Should You Get a Pet-Specific Urn?
Some urns are marketed specifically for pets, often featuring paw prints, bones, or breed-specific imagery. These can be meaningful for families who want that kind of symbol.
But many pet owners prefer something more understated — an urn that simply looks beautiful, without announcing itself as a pet memorial. There's no rule that a pet's urn needs to look different from any other. What matters is that it feels right to you.
Honoring More Than One Pet
If you've loved and lost multiple pets, you might want to keep their ashes together — or plan ahead for a pet you still have. Some families choose a larger urn specifically to hold more than one set of remains. Others keep individual small urns grouped together on a shelf.
A medium or large urn can also be a way to plan for a beloved pet who is aging, so that when the time comes, you already have something ready and chosen with care.
The Planturn Option
One of the most meaningful ways to honor a pet is with a Planturn — an urn designed to hold both cremated remains and a living plant. The ashes rest in the lower section while a plant grows from the top, creating something alive and changing as a tribute to your pet's life.
For pets who loved the outdoors, who spent their days in the garden, or who were simply full of energy and life, a Planturn can feel especially right. The plant becomes part of the memorial — something to tend, watch grow, and carry forward.
A Note on Timing
There's no rush. Many families keep a pet's ashes in a temporary container for weeks or even months before choosing a permanent urn — and that's completely okay. Grief moves at its own pace, and the decision deserves to be made when you're ready, not under pressure.
When you are ready, take your time. Look at options. Think about where the urn will live and what your pet meant to you. The right choice will feel like it fits.
At Boyce Studio, our small and medium cremation urns are well-suited for most pets, and every piece is made by hand in California from sustainably sourced wood. If you have something specific in mind — a particular wood, a size that's a little different, or a natural finish for burial — reach out. Custom orders are always welcome.
Boyce Studio is a California-based studio creating modern handcrafted cremation urns from sustainably sourced wood. Every piece is made by hand by C.C. Boyce in Lake Arrowhead, CA.
