[BrianR]

I am sorry to hear that you lost your pet. I, too, am a pet person (dogs heavily favored) and I've lost a few in my time. Your heart breaks, you mourn for as long as it takes and then you go to the animal shelter and pick out another animal to replace the lost one.

The newcomer will never totally replace the lost cat, but will instead find it's own place in your heart. In time, the pain of loss will fade and you will come to love the new pet just as much. I recommend you go get another cat that "speaks" to you. I guarantee one will.

I believe you were right in not letting your SO view the remains. It's better that she remember her beloved pet the way it was, not the way it wound up. You will have to be strong and deal with that image which will never quite go away. I once lost a dog to a car and saw the remains. I'll never forget that, and sometimes when things are quiet I will flash back to that horrible day. That's when I reach down and stroke the soft hair on the current dog, who will sigh and roll over with pleasure and the image goes away again.

I heartily recommend taking her to the shelter and rescuing another kitty. You will thank me later.

Brian