Arranging your cat's cremation in Westmont
By our estimate, about 3,750 households in Westmont share their home with a cat, and roughly 340 cats are lost there each year. You're not alone in this, and you don't have to sort it out by yourself.
- Calm answers for the first few hours
- Home, vet or emergency clinic pickup
- No obligation, we reply by email
Westmont, Illinois
Who handles cat aftercare in Westmont
Waterfall Glen, the big DuPage forest preserve that loops around Argonne a few miles south, is where many Westmont families go for long outings among the trees. Anyone hoping to leave ashes out there must first ask the forest preserve district. Apartment dwellers often choose something simpler: a small box on a bookcase, rosemary growing on the balcony, or a tiny keepsake near the front door.
Westmont fits a lot into a small corner of DuPage County, some 19 miles west of the Loop, strung along the BNSF commuter tracks between Downers Grove and Clarendon Hills. Alongside older single-family streets, the village has an unusually high share of apartment and condo complexes, so plenty of residents share hallways, elevators and lots. When booking, give the driver your building number, the entry code and a place to leave the van briefly.
Many vets around Westmont run mixed practices, caring for cattle, horses and dogs as well as cats, and in calving or lambing season they can be out on farms for long stretches. They still arrange cat cremation routinely. Call ahead so someone is at the clinic when you arrive, and if your vet is out on a call, ask the front desk to take the details and ring you back.
Westmont's population is around 24,155, the 94th-largest of the 151 Illinois communities we cover. The nearest larger centre is Chicago, about 19 miles (30 km) away, which is where some providers serving Westmont are based.
If you want to compare providers, look at Hinsdale (2 miles), Downers Grove (2 miles, a larger centre) and Darien (3 miles). Distance matters because pickup fees and the time until the ashes come back both grow with the drive.
Our estimate
3,750
Estimated cat-owning households in Westmont
How we calculated this
24,155 ÷ 2.5 = 9,662 households; × 39% (cat) = 3,750. Multi-pet homes count once.
Our estimate
340
cat deaths per year in Westmont, our estimate
How we calculated this
3,750 cat-owning homes ÷ average lifespan (cat: 11.18 yrs) ≈ 340 a year. A floor, not a ceiling.
39%[1]
39% of US households own a cat, which is about 53 million households.
11.18 years[2]
US cats seen at Banfield hospitals have an average life expectancy at birth of 11.18 years.
60.2%[3]
The NFDA projected Illinois's cremation rate at 60.2% for 2024.
clinic $158; home $359; cremation $180; burial $566[4]
CareCredit's 2025 study put US cat euthanasia at $158 in clinic and $359 at home, cat cremation at $180 and cat cemetery burial at $566.
None of the figures on this this page are ours alone: they rest on CareCredit (Synchrony) and Montoya et al. 2023, Frontiers in Veterinary Science.
Cremation traditions in Illinois
Human cremation sits at around 60.2%[3] in Illinois, and pet owners are split in a similar way. In one US survey of more than 2,000 dog and cat owners, 68% had chosen cremation for at least one past pet and 32% burial[5] (Cooney et al.). Many households had done both at different times. Your choice for this cat doesn't have to match the last one.
The Illinois figure comes from NFDA 2024 Cremation & Burial Report state projections (via Occasional Sage) (2024). It describes people, not pets, so read it as a sign of local attitudes rather than a pet statistic.
Weather, timing and your cat in Westmont
Westmont winters are cold, with average lows at or below freezing in January, February, March and December. That gives you a little more time after a death in winter, but it also means frozen ground. If you were hoping to bury your cat in the garden, you may not be able to dig until spring, which is one reason many local families choose cremation first and bury the ashes later.
Cold weather brings its own risks for outdoor cats. They look for warmth under car hoods and in engine bays, so a quick knock on the hood before starting the car is a common habit in places like Westmont. Antifreeze is another winter danger: it tastes sweet to cats and is highly toxic. If an outdoor cat dies suddenly in January, February, March and December, tell your vet what you know; they may want to check the cause.
Cat cremation costs around Westmont
US pet services prices, including vet bills, were about 42% higher in 2025 than in 2019[6], so older price lists you find online may understate what Westmont providers charge today. Use the table to spot a quote that's far out of line, then ask for an itemized total covering collection, cremation and the container.
By our math, Westmont loses roughly 340 cats a year. At the national private-cremation average of clinic $158; home $359; cremation $180; burial $566[4], that's a market of about $0.1 million, big enough that asking two providers for a quote usually pays off.
For a line-by-line price table, see the Illinois overview; for what's included in each option, see our services.
Free tool
Cremation cost calculator
Estimate a realistic price range for your pet's size, location and the type of cremation.
What Illinois allows: burial, scattering and more
If your cat was put to sleep, the drug used stays in the body after death and can poison a dog, fox or bird of prey that digs up a grave. That's why many authorities discourage burying euthanized pets anywhere animals can reach them, and why cremation is simpler for most families. The notes below show what Illinois says about burial and scattering.
Illinois keeps an official directory of local governments; use it to reach the county or city office that covers Westmont.
We keep Illinois's burial and scattering rules in one place: the Illinois rules summary. Before a home burial in Westmont, also ask the city whether local ordinances add anything.
What to do next, one step at a time
- Take a breath. The next hour asks nothing of you. When a cat dies at home, set them down on a towel, gently close the eyes if they'll stay shut, and fold the legs under as though they're curled up asleep.
- Take anything you want to keep now: snip a little chest fur, or some from inside a hind leg, gather any whiskers that have dropped in their bed, and set the collar or tag aside.
- Place your cat in a box or basket on top of the blanket they slept on, then move it to whichever room stays coolest and shut the door to keep other animals out.
- Call your vet (or an emergency clinic out of hours) and tell them what happened. They can confirm the death if you're unsure and explain their aftercare arrangement.
- Decide on private or communal cremation. This is the choice that shapes everything else, including the price.
- Arrange collection either from the house or the vet's, or take your cat to the provider yourself, and get the full cost written down.
- Let yourself grieve. Tell the people who knew your cat, and put the bowls away when you're ready, not before.
Keeping your cat's memory close in Westmont
Westmont summers peak around 85 and January nights settle near 20, with frost from December into March. For a cat, ferret or rabbit lost during a heat wave, pick whichever floor in the unit stays coolest, spread out an old beach towel, and lay two or three frozen packs, each slipped into a sock or pillowcase, against the body until the driver comes, ideally within a day. Condo residents without a garage can keep a cooler bag handy for winter.
there are guides for the big decisions and articles for the details, try the free planning tools, or see what other families chose in the poll results, Compare every option on our services page. You can also browse every city in the United States. Nearby, we also cover Rockford, Chicago, Aurora and Elgin, and every city in Illinois.
Reader polls
What would you choose?
Vote anonymously and see how other readers answered. The results are live counts from people who visit this site, so they show real opinions, not a scientific sample.
For your cat, would you want their own ashes returned?
Tap an answer to vote and see how others answered. Anonymous.
What kind of life did (or does) your cat lead?
Tap an answer to vote and see how others answered. Anonymous.
If you had to decide today, which aftercare would you choose for your pet?
Tap an answer to vote and see how others answered. Anonymous.
Free tools to help you plan
Cremation cost calculator
Estimate a realistic price range for your pet's size, location and the type of cremation.
Urn size calculator
Find the urn volume you need from your pet's weight, plus keepsake and sharing options.
Ashes weight estimator
See roughly how much ash to expect back, by species and body weight.
Questions people ask
How many cat owners live in Westmont?
By our estimate, about 3,750 households in Westmont have at least one cat, and around 340 are lost each year. We calculate this from the city's population of about 24,155, the average household size and national ownership and lifespan figures, so treat it as a floor rather than an exact count.
Is cremation common in Illinois?
For people, yes: about 60.2%[3] of Illinois deaths end in cremation, according to NFDA 2024 Cremation & Burial Report state projections (via Occasional Sage) (2024). Nobody publishes the same figure for pets, but in our experience pet choices in Westmont follow the human pattern closely, so cremation is the default most families here start from.
Which nearby towns can I compare with Westmont?
The closest communities we cover are Hinsdale (about 2 miles), Downers Grove (about 2 miles) and Darien (about 3 miles). Providers based in those places often serve Westmont too. Ask each one for a written total that includes collection, so the distance is priced in.
Will I have to travel to Chicago to arrange things?
Not usually. Providers based in Chicago (roughly 19 miles from Westmont) collect from here as a matter of routine, and the paperwork is done by email or phone. If you want to be present for a witnessed cremation, that is when the drive matters.
Does pet insurance pay for cat cremation?
Usually not under a standard policy, although euthanasia may be covered when it's medically necessary[8]. Some add-ons help: one reimbursed up to $250 toward cremation and burial[9], and another up to $500 for end-of-life costs[10]. Either would cover a typical private cat cremation. Check your policy before you pay a provider in Westmont.
How long until I get my cat's ashes back in Westmont?
Many families get their cat's ashes back within about one to two weeks, and 5 to 10 days is commonly quoted in the US[11]. In a large city it can be quicker; where the cremation happens in a larger centre like Chicago, it may take a little longer. Ask for an expected return date when you book.
Sources and our estimates
- [1] 39% of US households own a cat, which is about 53 million households. American Pet Products Association (APPA) 2025 State of the Industry, 2025.
- [2] US cats seen at Banfield hospitals have an average life expectancy at birth of 11.18 years. Montoya et al. 2023, Frontiers in Veterinary Science - Banfield Pet Hospital life expectancy tables (13.3 million dogs, 2.4 million cats, 2013-2019), 2023.
- [3] The NFDA projected Illinois's cremation rate at 60.2% for 2024. NFDA 2024 Cremation & Burial Report state projections (via Occasional Sage), 2024.
- [4] CareCredit's 2025 study put US cat euthanasia at $158 in clinic and $359 at home, cat cremation at $180 and cat cemetery burial at $566. CareCredit (Synchrony) - Cat Euthanasia: Understanding Your Options and Costs (2025 ASQ360 procedural cost study), 2025.
- [5] In a survey of 2,043 U.S. dog and/or cat owners, 68% had made cremation decisions and 32% had made burial decisions for at least one past pet. Cooney KA, Kogan LR, Brooks SL, Ellis CA. Pet Owners' Expectations for Pet End-of-Life Support and After-Death Body Care. Topics in Companion Animal Medicine, 2021 (PMID 33383233), 2021.
- [6] US pet services prices (including vet bills) were 42% higher in April 2025 than in 2019, versus a 22% rise for pet food; pet services inflation was 4.6% year on year. Bank of America Institute - Best in show: US pet ownership (27 May 2025), 2025.
- [7] UK and US survey evidence converges on roughly two-thirds of bereaved owners choosing cremation (UK 67%; US 68% ever) and about 29-32% choosing burial. Our estimate: mean(67, 68) = 67.5; burial range 29% (UK) to 32% (US). How we calculate.
- [8] Embrace says standard pet insurance typically does not cover cremation, while euthanasia can be covered if medically necessary for a covered condition; cremation is an eligible expense under its optional Wellness Rewards. Embrace Pet Insurance - Bury or Cremate Your Dog? Costs, Pros & Cons, 2025.
- [9] Figo's Extra Care Pack add-on ($6.62/month) paid up to $250 toward cremation and burial. Pet Insurance Review - Does Pet Insurance Cover Euthanasia? (Dec 2023), 2023.
- [10] Lemonade's US end-of-life add-on cost $3.75/month and reimbursed up to $500 for euthanasia, cremation and commemorative items. Pet Insurance Review - Does Pet Insurance Cover Euthanasia? (Dec 2023), 2023.
- [11] A US aftercare guide says many families receive private cremation ashes within about one to two weeks, with 5-10 days commonly quoted. Funeral.com - Pet Cremation Timelines: How Long Until Ashes Are Returned, 2026.
Tell us about your cat
Tell us what you need and where you are. We'll reply by email with clear options and prices so you can decide in your own time.