Need advice about burying my cat in a plant pot
My cat passed away two days ago after being very sick, and I decided to bury him at home in a large plant pot because I couldn't bear the thought of leaving him somewhere far away.
I live in an apartment in Yangon, Myanmar, so I don't have a garden where I can bury him directly in the ground. I have a large pot on my veranda, and I buried him underneath a Chinese perfume plant.
The pot is around 1.5 feet tall and has a drainage hole at the bottom. I covered his body completely with soil, and there is a fairly thick layer of soil above him. The pot is in an open area with good airflow. It gets direct sunlight in the morning and then mostly shade/indirect light later in the day.
My biggest worry now is **whether there will be a bad smell as the body decomposes**. The weather here is quite hot, and I'm worried that the smell might become strong enough for my family or neighbors to notice.
I also want to make sure the plant stays healthy.
I've been reading about things like **biochar, charcoal, lime, sawdust, etc.** being used in burials or composting, but I'm getting very different advice and I'm not sure what is actually safe for a plant pot.
So I would really appreciate advice from anyone who knows about soil, decomposition, gardening, or has experience burying a pet in a planter:
* Is a large pot like this suitable for burying a cat? * Is having a drainage hole enough? * Is a thick layer of soil above the body enough to control odor? * Would adding a small amount of horticultural biochar/charcoal to the top of the soil help with odor? * Should I avoid lime because of the plant? * Is there anything I should or **shouldn't** do from this point onward? * Could decomposition eventually cause liquid or odor to come out through the drainage hole?
This is my current pot and plant: [https://www.reddit.com/u/No\\\_Crab\\\_4091/s/IHdFUFxM0s\](https://www.reddit.com/u/No\_Crab\_4091/s/IHdFUFxM0s)
I don't want to disturb him or dig him up. I just want to take care of the pot properly and give him a peaceful resting place.
I'm already grieving quite badly, so I'd really appreciate practical advice without judgment.
Thank you.