Can two pets share one urn? A guide to companion urns
Yes. Two pets' ashes can go in one urn, either mixed together or kept apart in separate bags or chambers. Size it for their combined healthy weight: roughly one cubic inch per pound, plus about 10%.
By the Pet Urns & Keepsakes editorial team · Updated September 24, 2026 · 4 min read · Sources
- Mixed, side by side, or in two chambers
- Sizing a companion urn for two pets of any size
- Planning ahead when one pet is still with you
The short answer
Can you put two pets' ashes in the same urn?
Yes, and it's something many families quietly want. Two dogs who slept curled together, a cat and dog who grew up side by side, or a pair of rabbits who were never apart: keeping them together can feel exactly right. There's no rule against it for pets kept at home.
Multi-pet homes are common. By our estimate, European pet-owning households keep about 2.2 pets each on average[1], and Australian ones about 4.1[2]. So the question of what to do when the second pet dies comes up far more often than people expect.
In the US, the American Pet Products Association's ownership figures count pets in about 95 million households[3], and many of those homes have more than one animal.
Will your pet's ashes stay together or be shared?
Tap an answer to vote and see how others answered. Anonymous.
The options
Should the ashes be mixed or kept separate?
There are three ways to do it, and each suits a different feeling.
| Approach | How it works | Suits you if |
|---|---|---|
| Two chambers | A double urn with a separate compartment for each pet | You want them together but distinct |
| Two bags, one urn | Each pet's sealed bag sits side by side in one larger urn | You want flexibility to separate them later |
| Mixed together | The ashes are combined into one bag or poured together | You feel they belong as one |
The two-bag approach is the most flexible. It needs no special urn, just enough capacity, and nothing is irreversible. Mixing is lovely for some families but can't be undone, so it's worth being sure everyone agrees.
Some families choose a middle path: they keep the two bags separate in the main urn, then mix a small amount from each into a shared keepsake or pendant. The main urn stays reversible, and the keepsake holds both pets together.
Sizing
What size companion urn do you need?
Add the two pets' healthy weights together and use the usual rule of about one cubic inch per pound, plus about 10%. The rule works because cremated remains weigh around 3-5% of body weight[4] but take up more room than that suggests. A 12 lb cat alone needs about 12 cubic inches[5].
| Pair | Combined weight | Capacity to look for |
|---|---|---|
| Two cats (10 lb and 12 lb) | 22 lb | About 25 cu in |
| Two small dogs (15 lb and 18 lb) | 33 lb | About 36 to 40 cu in |
| A Labrador (65 lb) and a cat (11 lb) | 76 lb | About 85 cu in |
| Two large dogs (70 lb and 80 lb) | 150 lb | About 165 cu in or more |
Free tool
Urn size calculator
Find the urn volume you need from your pet's weight, plus keepsake and sharing options.
Run the urn size calculator with the combined weight. For two big dogs, you're into extra-large territory, and what size urn do I need for my dog explains what those urns cost and the alternatives.
Planning ahead
What if your other pet is still alive?
This is a very common situation, and it's gentle to plan for. Choose an urn now that's big enough for both, place the first pet's sealed bag inside, and leave room for the second. When the time comes, the second bag goes in beside the first, or the ashes are combined then.
- Choose a reopenable urn: a wooden box with a screwed base or a jar with a threaded lid. Avoid anything sealed permanently.
- Leave space on the engraving for a second name, or plan to add a matching plate later.
- Note the second pet's weight now, with the urn's paperwork, so sizing isn't a guess later.
- Tell the family the plan, so nobody is surprised when the urn is opened again.
Adding a second name later is inexpensive. Simple name-only engraving usually costs $15–$25[6] (per one large retailer), and a local engraver can often match the original font. Engraving and photo urn lead times explains the methods, and choosing a pet urn in advance covers the wider planning.
Styles
What do companion urns look like, and what do they cost?
Companion urns come in a few familiar forms: a wide wooden chest with room for two photo windows, a double urn with twin chambers under one lid, two matching urns designed to sit side by side, or simply a larger standard urn. Wood is the most common material; wooden pet urns typically cost $30–$150[7] (per one large retailer), with larger and double designs at the upper end.
Two matching urns are worth considering if you think you might one day want to separate the ashes, or if family members each want to keep one pet. The memorial budget planner helps compare one large urn with two smaller ones once engraving is added.
Beyond pets
Can a pet's ashes be placed with a person's?
Sometimes, and many owners wonder about it. Rules depend on the cemetery, not the urn. Some human cemeteries allow a pet's ashes to be placed in an owner's grave or niche; many don't. A few pet cemeteries accept human ashes: at Hartsdale in New York, the cremated remains of about 800 people are buried alongside their pets[8].
It isn't surprising that people want this; in a Harris Poll, 95%[9] of US pet owners said they consider pets family members. If it matters to you, ask the cemetery directly and write your wishes down. For keeping the urn safe in the meantime, see where to keep a pet urn at home. And if you'd like help finding a companion urn, tell us about both pets.
That feeling runs deep on both sides of the Atlantic: in the RSPCA's pet bereavement survey, nearly every owner saw their pet as family, a friend or a companion. Ask the cemetery office for its written policy before you buy a companion urn with this plan in mind.
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.
Will your pet's ashes stay together or be shared?
Tap an answer to vote and see how others answered. Anonymous.
Do you keep more than one memorial for the same pet?
Tap an answer to vote and see how others answered. Anonymous.
Which memorial feels most like your pet?
Tap an answer to vote and see how others answered. Anonymous.
Questions people ask
Is it okay to mix two pets' ashes together?
Yes, if that's what feels right to you and your family. Many people find comfort in it, especially for bonded pairs. Just remember it can't be undone. If anyone is unsure, keep each pet's ashes in its own sealed bag inside the same urn; you get the closeness without the permanence.
How big should an urn for two cats be?
Add their healthy weights and allow about one cubic inch per pound, plus about 10%. Two average cats of 10 to 12 lb each need about 25 cubic inches, which many sellers call a small-medium or medium urn. Check the internal capacity rather than the size name.
Can I add my second pet's ashes to the urn years later?
Yes, as long as the urn can be reopened. Wooden box urns with a screwed base and jars with threaded lids are easy to reopen. If the first pet's ashes are in their original sealed bag, the second bag simply sits beside it.
Do two matching urns have to be the same size?
No. Many ranges come in several capacities with the same wood, glaze or finish, so a cat's urn and a large dog's urn can still look like a pair. Size each one for the pet it holds, using about one cubic inch per pound, and choose the same finish and engraving style so they sit well together.
What should I engrave on an urn for two pets?
Both names, with years if there's room, is the most common choice, for example Milo and Pepper, together again. If one pet is still alive, engrave the first name now and add the second later, or use two matching plates. Keep the wording short so both names stay readable.
Can I be buried with my pet's ashes?
Sometimes. Some human cemeteries allow a pet's ashes in an owner's grave or casket, and some pet cemeteries accept human ashes, but many cemeteries allow neither. Ask the specific cemetery, and put your wishes in writing so your family knows what you'd like.
Sources and our estimates
- [1] European pet-owning households keep on average about 2.2 pets each (including aquaria as one unit). Our estimate: Europe total pets (299.1M) / pet-owning households (139M). How we calculate.
- [2] Australian pet-owning households keep on average about 4.1 pets each. Our estimate: Australia pets (31.6M) / pet-owning households (7.7M). How we calculate.
- [3] About 95 million US households own at least one pet. American Pet Products Association (APPA) 2025 State of the Industry, 2025.
- [4] Embrace notes cremated remains typically weigh about 3-5% of the pet's original body weight. Embrace Pet Insurance - Bury or Cremate Your Dog? Costs, Pros & Cons, 2025.
- [5] Using the industry rule of thumb of 1 cubic inch of urn space per pound of body weight, a 12 lb cat needs an urn of about 12 cubic inches; a 70 lb dog needs about 70 cubic inches. Our estimate: urn cu in = body weight lb x 1 (industry rule of thumb, not a measured value). How we calculate.
- [6] Simple name-only engraving on a pet urn typically adds $15–$25; name plus dates adds $25–$40. Memorials.com – Pet Urn Cost Guide, 2025.
- [7] Memorials.com puts wooden pet urns at $30–$150. Memorials.com – Pet Urn Cost Guide, 2025.
- [8] The cremated remains of about 800 people are buried alongside their pets at Hartsdale Pet Cemetery. VOA News – America's oldest pet cemetery, 2024.
- [9] A 2015 Harris Poll found 95% of U.S. pet owners consider pets family members, up 7 points since 2007. SHRM — Grieving a Pet's Death: Should Workers Get Time Off? (2016), 2015.
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