Saying goodbye to your cat in Plymouth
Around 1,100 Plymouth 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.
- Help for multi-cat households
- Private cremation confirmed in writing
- Options for community cats too
Plymouth, Minnesota
Cat aftercare in Plymouth: the local picture
Plymouth covers a wide swath of western Hennepin County, around 10 miles west of the Minneapolis skyline, cut through by I-494, Highway 55 and Highway 169. Wooded, rolling neighborhoods of single-family homes mix with apartment and townhouse complexes near the corporate campuses. West metro aftercare providers routinely serve the city, and most will quote a combined price for collection and cremation if you ask.
Deaths don't wait for business hours, and if yours happens late at night, emergency vet clinics in the west metro can usually hold your companion until a crematory collects. That can be easier than keeping a body at home. If you do keep your pet at home, January lows near 7F mean a garage works in winter, while a July heat wave calls for air conditioning and a quicker call to a provider.
If the crematory serving Plymouth only collects from your vet once a week, you may need to keep your cat at home for a few days. Wrapped in a towel, then sealed in a strong plastic bag, a cat keeps well in a chest freezer, and your vet may offer theirs. It sounds hard, but it's common practice in rural areas and doesn't affect cremation or any keepsakes you'd like.
Plymouth's population is around 78,942, the 9th-largest of the 67 Minnesota communities we cover. The nearest larger centre is Minneapolis, about 10 miles (16 km) away, which is where some providers serving Plymouth are based.
The closest communities we cover are New Hope (4 miles), Wayzata (4 miles) and Crystal (5 miles). Providers serving those towns often travel to Plymouth too, so it can be worth asking them for a quote.
Our estimate
12,500
Plymouth: cat-owning households, our estimate
How we calculated this
78,942 ÷ 2.5 = 31,577 households; × 39% (cat) = 12,500. A household with several pets counts once.
Our estimate
1,100
cat deaths per year in Plymouth, our estimate
How we calculated this
12,500 cat-owning homes ÷ average lifespan (cat: 11.18 yrs) ≈ 1,100 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.
68.5%[3]
The NFDA projected Minnesota's cremation rate at 68.5% 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.
If a number here surprises you, the primary material is Montoya et al. 2023, Frontiers in Veterinary Science and CareCredit (Synchrony); we only apply it to this.
The local attitude to cremation
About 68.5%[3] of people in Minnesota are cremated, a figure that has been rising for years. Pet cremation has followed the same curve. More cat owners now bring the ashes home than bury their cat in the garden, especially in towns and suburbs where yards are small or rented, and where an indoor cat never really used the garden anyway.
For the Minnesota figure we rely on NFDA 2024 Cremation & Burial Report state projections (via Occasional Sage) (2024). Read it as a picture of local custom around death and remembrance in Plymouth rather than as pet data.
Seasons, collection and burial in Plymouth
Plymouth winters are cold, with average lows at or below freezing in January, February, March, November 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.
Indoor cats who spend winter pressed against radiators and sunny windows can hide a slow decline for weeks. If an older cat in Plymouth is sleeping more, eating less or losing weight through January, February, March, November and December, mention it to your vet. And if you plan a home goodbye in winter, choose a warm room, lay out their bed and make sure the collection team has a clear, salted path to the door.
What you'll likely pay, and what adds to it
US pet services prices, including vet bills, were about 42% higher in 2025 than in 2019[5], so older price lists you find online may understate what Plymouth 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.
Multiply it out: roughly 1,100 cats a year in Plymouth (our estimate) at the national private-cremation average of clinic $158; home $359; cremation $180; burial $566[4] is about $0.2 million of local spending. That is why it pays to ask two providers, not one.
The full price table by size is on our Minnesota 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.
Rules worth knowing in Minnesota
Pet crematories are lightly regulated in many places, so it's up to you to ask how they identify each animal and what private really means. The rules in Minnesota mostly cover what happens next: where a cat can be buried and where ashes can be scattered. The notes below cover the main points; your vet or local council can confirm anything specific to your address.
Not sure which office covers Plymouth? The Minnesota local government directory is the official list.
We keep Minnesota's burial and scattering rules in one place: the Minnesota rules summary. Before a home burial in Plymouth, also ask the city whether local ordinances add anything.
What to do when your cat dies in Plymouth
- Say goodbye in your own way. There's no rush. Many families sit with their cat for an hour or two, and it's fine to hold them.
- Let your other cats see the body if there are others at home. One might sniff and leave; another might settle beside their friend for a while. Both are ordinary.
- Make a keepsake if you'd like one. A paw print must be taken before cremation, and fur is easier to clip now too.
- Contact a provider yourself or via your vet. If you'd rather, we can send you local options.
- Choose private or communal, and ask for written confirmation of which one it is.
- Plan where the ashes will go. There's no deadline on this. What comes back from a cat is small enough to keep in a modest container on a shelf until you know what you want.
Keeping your cat close
Plymouth families often think of the Luce Line trail, the shoreline paths around Medicine Lake at French Regional Park, or the loop around Parkers Lake when they remember a pet. Public land comes with its own rules on ashes, so ask first. A backyard garden, a tree in a corner of the lot, or a planter on a balcony are private alternatives.
Our services overview lays out every option side by side, or see how other readers answered in our polls, run the numbers with the free planning tools, browse in-depth guides or recent articles. Close to Plymouth we also cover Rochester, Duluth, Minneapolis and Brooklyn Park; the full list for Minnesota and for the United States is a click away.
Reader polls
What would you choose?
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What kind of life did (or does) your cat lead?
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For your cat, would you want their own ashes returned?
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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
Why does the Plymouth page quote a human cremation rate?
Because it is the best local signal we have. NFDA 2024 Cremation & Burial Report state projections (via Occasional Sage) (2024) reports about 68.5%[3] of Minnesota residents are cremated. There is no official pet equivalent, and inventing one would be worse than quoting a real, clearly labelled number.
Will I have to travel to Minneapolis to arrange things?
Not usually. Providers based in Minneapolis (roughly 10 miles from Plymouth) 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.
Can a provider from a neighbouring town collect from Plymouth?
Usually yes. New Hope is about 4 miles away, Wayzata is about 4 miles away and Crystal is about 5 miles away, all inside a normal collection radius. Get the mileage written into the quote so there is no surprise on the day.
When is the hardest time of year to arrange a burial in Plymouth?
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 82°F mean a body needs cooling and collecting quickly.
What if my cat died outdoors or was hit by a car near Plymouth?
Bring gloves, a towel and a box, lift your cat gently and take them home or straight to your vet. A vet can scan for a microchip if you're not sure it's your cat, and can arrange cremation from there. A private cremation is still entirely possible, and so is a proper goodbye; the circumstances don't change that. Take someone with you if you can.
Are there enough pet crematories to serve Plymouth?
By our estimate, around 1,100 cats die in Plymouth each year, from roughly 12,500 cat-owning households. Not every family chooses cremation, but demand on that scale supports several options in most regions. The number of providers physically in Plymouth matters less than how many collect from your address or your vet, and how quickly they return the ashes.
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 Minnesota's cremation rate at 68.5% 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] 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.
- [6] Roughly 4.7 million pet cats likely die in the US each year. Our estimate: US cat-owning households (53M) x 1 cat / US cat life expectancy (11.18 yrs). How we calculate.
Get cat cremation options in Plymouth
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