Woman felt guilty for complaining about paying extra for her late cat’s paw print, until others saw it — and were horrified too

A woman was overwhelmed with guilt when she opened the paw print of her late cat she paid additional amount for. The grieving owner opened up about the emotional toll her beloved pet’s sudden passing had on her  in November 2025 and was desperate to keep a final memento. However, she was disappointed to see the work of the crematorium that buried her cat and presented her with the paw print she had high expectations for. The woman was unsure whether her reaction was legitimate and asked for opinions on the internet. Moments later, candid comments from fellow pet owners poured in to set the record straight.  

The cat owner, who posted under u/chesney_boo on Reddit on Tuesday, November 11, 2025, shared a terrifying image of her late cat’s paw print she had received. She revealed that her cat had to be euthanized last week, and she was not prepared to say goodbye forever. As a last effort to eternalize the cat’s memory, she paid the crematorium an extra amount of money to give her an impression of the cat’s paw. She was baffled by the lack of sincerity of the staff as they handed her a half-hearted attempt at a paw print. “Is it just me, or does this look absolutely terrible? I’m already upset, so trying to make sure I’m not being dramatic,” she asked in the post shared.  

The paw print reflected the seemingly ungroomed cat’s long claws and furry paws, which undoubtedly failed to make a good memory of the late pet. Meanwhile, the picture of the paw print was crude enough to spark a heated discussion in the comments. People were disheartened for the cat owner, but claimed this was a common occurrence among pet owners. The Reddit post received 2,800 votes and hundreds of insights. “Unfortunately, I ordered one for my cat and ended up with similar results. It was an impulse buy made during an emotional moment, and I regretted it as soon as I opened it. I ended up throwing mine away. I just couldn't look at it,” recounted u/RentalKittens.  

Likewise, u/UpOrDownItsUpToYou wrote, “They appear to have pushed down the paw while just holding the bottom of the leg and without applying pressure to the top of her toes, thereby unsheathing her claws and sort of elongating the shape. A careless effort.” Someone who worked at a vet clinic (u/Commercial_Fan2308) revealed, “At the clinic I work at, we just give them away for free, and we really try to make them good, but when they don't turn out as nice as we don't have as much pressure on us because they are optional and free.” They added that the nails are usually trimmed before the imprint and suggested the cat owner ask for her money back. 

While a paw print is usually a sweet way to remember your late pet, there are other ways a pet owner can cherish their furry friend who has crossed the rainbow bridge. Planting a tree or flowers in their burial site, keeping a memory box full of mementos, or creating a scrapbook may help owners treasure their pet’s memory forever, per The Wild Wood.