Cat cremation in Johnston, Iowa
Around 350 Johnston families say goodbye to a cat every year, by our estimate. Here's what cremation costs locally, how it works and what to ask first.
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Johnston, Iowa
Getting help for your cat in Johnston
Johnston is a quiet suburb on the northwest side of Des Moines, bordered by Saylorville Lake and the Des Moines River valley to the north and by Camp Dodge, the Iowa National Guard's headquarters. Most homes are single-family houses from the last few decades, many with wooded lots near Beaver Creek. Pickup providers that cover the metro typically reach Johnston easily, though some cul-de-sacs are tucked away.
Saylorville Lake and the trails along the Des Moines River are favorite places for Johnston residents, and for some families they're tied to happy memories with an animal. Scattering ashes on Army Corps land or in the water has its own rules, so ask first. Many people choose their own wooded yard, where the trees become part of the memorial.
Home burial is common in smaller communities, and for a cat it's physically easy: a small grave in a garden you own. It's worth thinking about whether you'll stay in the property and whether foxes, coyotes or dogs are likely to dig; a cat's grave needs to be deep enough to discourage them. Some families choose cremation and bury the ashes instead, which avoids the problem and keeps the option of moving them later.
Johnston is home to about 25,065 people, the 20th-largest of the 27 Iowa communities we cover. Some of the providers who serve Johnston are based about 9 miles away in Des Moines, the nearest larger centre, so collection times reflect that drive.
The closest communities we cover are Urbandale (5 miles), Clive (7 miles) and Ankeny (7 miles, a larger centre). Providers serving those towns often travel to Johnston too, so it can be worth asking them for a quote.
Our estimate
3,900
Estimated cat-owning households in Johnston
How we calculated this
25,065 ÷ 2.5 = 10,026 households; × 39% (cat) = 3,900. Homes are counted once however many pets they keep.
Our estimate
350
cat deaths per year in Johnston, our estimate
How we calculated this
3,900 cat-owning homes ÷ average lifespan (cat: 11.18 yrs) ≈ 350 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.
63.6%[3]
The NFDA projected Iowa's cremation rate at 63.6% 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.
The numbers above come from American Pet Products Association (APPA) 2025 State of the Industry and CareCredit (Synchrony), if you'd like to read the original sources.
Cremation in Iowa, and what it means for cat owners
Human cremation sits at around 63.6%[3] in Iowa, 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.
We take the Iowa rate from NFDA 2024 Cremation & Burial Report state projections (via Occasional Sage) (2024). It is a human statistic; there is no equivalent pet figure for Johnston, and we would rather show a real number than invent one.
Weather, timing and your cat in Johnston
Snow and ice can delay collection, especially on rural roads. The upside is time: in an unheated room, garage or porch that stays near freezing, a cat can safely wait a day or two. Wrap your cat in a blanket, place them in a sturdy lidded box and make sure other pets and wildlife can't reach them.
With average lows at or below freezing for about 5 months a year, Johnston has a long stretch when the ground is too hard to dig, and frost can heave a shallow grave. A cat's grave needs to be deep enough to keep foxes and other animals away, which is hard work in frozen soil. Cremating now and burying the ashes later means a much smaller hole, almost anywhere you like, once the ground softens.
What cat cremation costs in Johnston
Where you live in the US moves the price. Pet care spending in the Seattle metro ran more than 30% above the national average in early 2025[6], while San Antonio, St Louis and Atlanta sat below it[7]. In Johnston, use the table as a guide, then ask local providers for an itemized total rather than relying on a national average.
Put another way: around 350 cats die in Johnston each year (our estimate), and private cremation averages clinic $158; home $359; cremation $180; burial $566[4] nationally. That adds up to roughly $0.1 million a year locally, which is why prices and packages differ so much from one provider to the next.
The full price table by size is on our Iowa page, and the services page explains what each option includes.
Free tool
Cremation cost calculator
Estimate a realistic price range for your pet's size, location and the type of cremation.
Burial and scattering rules for Iowa
You don't need a permit to have your cat cremated, but what you do afterwards, burying them in the garden or scattering their ashes in a park, can be governed by local rules. Here's what applies in Iowa.
The official Iowa local government directory lists every county and city office, which is the quickest way to find who to ask in Johnston.
The rules that apply across Iowa (home burial, scattering and who oversees pet cremation) are summarized on our Iowa page. Johnston may add its own conditions, so check with the city or county before digging.
The first 48 hours, step by step
- Book the appointment at a time when everyone who wants to be there can be, and ask whether the vet can come to your home, where your cat is calmest.
- Decide on aftercare beforehand, so you're not asked to choose in the moment. Private cremation, communal cremation or garden burial are the usual options.
- Ask the vet to arrange collection, or tell them which crematory you've chosen yourself.
- Prepare a quiet space that's warm and feels like home, with the bed or blanket your cat likes best and some of their favorite treats within reach.
- Settle paperwork and payment first if you can, so there's nothing to sign afterwards.
- Stay as long as you need once your cat has gone. Nobody will hurry you.
- Check the written confirmation while the vet is still there: cremation type and the date the ashes are due back.
Remembering your cat, in Johnston and beyond
Johnston shares central Iowa's pattern: humid summer days in the mid-80s, January nights around 14 degrees and a long frozen stretch from November to March. Wooded lots stay a little cooler in summer, but a closed-up house can still warm fast. A basement is the natural place to keep a pet's body before collection; in winter, the garage does. Close the door so any other animals in the family can't wander in.
look through our guides and the blog, The services page is the place to compare what is included, try the free planning tools, or see how other readers answered in our polls. More local pages: Davenport, Sioux City, Iowa City and Ankeny, the Iowa overview and every city in the United States.
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.
Which small keepsake would mean the most from your cat?
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What kind of life did (or does) your cat lead?
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If you had to decide today, which aftercare would you choose for your pet?
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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
Which nearby towns can I compare with Johnston?
The closest communities we cover are Urbandale (about 5 miles), Clive (about 7 miles) and Ankeny (about 7 miles). Providers based in those places often serve Johnston too. Ask each one for a written total that includes collection, so the distance is priced in.
Where are the providers that serve Johnston actually based?
Some are local, and some run from Des Moines, about 9 miles away. That is normal for a town this size. What matters is the collection time they quote for Johnston and whether the drive is priced into the total, so ask both up front.
When is the hardest time of year to arrange a burial in Johnston?
January, February, March, November and December: average lows are below freezing then, and frozen ground makes a home grave slow or impossible until it thaws. The other pressure point is July, when highs around 86°F mean a body needs cooling and collecting quickly.
Is Johnston big enough to have several cat aftercare providers?
Probably, on the numbers. By our estimate about 3,900 Johnston households keep a cat and around 350 lose one each year, which is enough steady demand to support more than one provider. We derive that from population (about 25,065), household size and national ownership and lifespan figures.
Can I take my cat to the crematory myself?
Usually, yes, and with a cat it's easy. Call first to agree a time, then place your cat in a carrier or a box lined with a blanket, on the floor or back seat of the car, and drive straight there. Many families find this last drive meaningful. It also saves the collection fee, which for a cat can be a large part of the total.
How much does cat cremation cost in Johnston?
Private cremation for a cat averages about $180 in the US[4], and most Johnston families pay roughly $100 to $250 once collection and a simple container are included. Communal cremation, where ashes aren't returned, is usually $45 to $75[9]. Home pickup, after-hours calls and a decorative urn add to the total, so ask for an itemized written quote.
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 Iowa's cremation rate at 63.6% 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] Bank of America card data show average monthly pet store and pet care (incl. vet) spending in the Seattle metro was more than 30% above the US average in Jan-Apr 2025, with San Francisco close behind. Bank of America Institute - Best in show: US pet ownership (27 May 2025), 2025.
- [7] Bank of America found pet spending was below the US average in San Antonio, St Louis and Atlanta, and elevated in New York and Boston (Jan-Apr 2025). Bank of America Institute - Best in show: US pet ownership (27 May 2025), 2025.
- [8] For cats, at-home euthanasia costs about 2.3x the in-clinic price in the US ($359 vs $158). Our estimate: 359 / 158 = 2.27. How we calculate.
- [9] CareCredit's pet cremation guide lists US communal cremation at $45-$75 and private at $100-$175 for pets up to 30 lb. CareCredit (Synchrony) - How Much Does Pet Cremation Cost? (Sept 2023), 2023.
Get cat cremation options in Johnston
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