OMG I Just Ran Over A Cat!

[Disfan1]

...on my way back home after taking DS to school. He just ran right under the wheels. The street was very busy & had no shoulders so I couldn't stop to help him. I saw him get up and stagger away so maybe he made it home so his owners will know what happened. I can't beleive I've killed someone's furbaby this close to Christmas.

 

[jkovick]

I am so sorry!

 

[rae519]

If he got up and walked away, you might not have killed him - he might be injured or just shook up.

This past summer our goldie mix broke her chain and was gone for 24 hours. The woman who found her said that she saw Kira be hit by a truck AND a car and get up to walk away. She was dirty, hungry and glad to see us but did not and does not have any residual effects from being hit.

We can just hope that this is your situation also and the furbaby is okay. Don't beat yourself up about it - you didn't purposely do it.

Take care,
Rae

 

[Cruisin]

I'm sorry you had to experience that.

I think that would haunt me for a long time.

Sometimes you have no control over it though so try not to beat yourself up about it.

 

[Disfan1]

Thanks for the kind words but I still feel I gave my furbaby extra hugs this morning.

 

[poohlover]

sorry in advance if anyone thinks I am angry...

but did you think to stop & check the cat? Or let someone know you had hit one?? Any houses near by? CAll the animal control?

We just had a 1 yr old kitten hit last week & let in the street to die.

Luckily a neighbor knows we have cats, saw it in the street & called us...just in case it was ours...

it was & my 6 kids were VERY upset as to how anyone could just leave the cat there.

We had seen this cat born & it was very special due to that.

I understand accidents happen, I hit a dog once, I stopped & someone else did also to help me get the dog to the vets.

But, PLEASE try to contact someone when an accident happens.

Our cat was right across from our driveway...if a neighbor hadn't called my kids would have been staring at her the next morning at their bus stop. Would NOT have been a nice way to start the day.

I know it's upsetting to you...but think of the owner if tha cat never returns & they don't know why.

 

[jrmasm]

First of all to DisFan1, I am really sorry that happened. I am sure that you were really upset.

To poohlover:

The street was very busy & had no shoulders so I couldn't stop to help him.

She said she couldn't stop. You are really out of line to jump up and down on DisFan1. I'm sure she/he is upset enough without your lecture.

 

[airhead]

I can tell you feel really bad. The fault lies with the owners who let their cat wander. I'm so sick of people who think that animals, particularly cats,should run loose. Now,I'm not talking about the dog or cat that gets loose by accident. I'm talking about irresponsible owners who just open the door and let their pet out! WHAT ARE THEY THINKING!!!!! I live in an area that was once rural but is quickly becoming developed with homes. About a week ago,my dogs were being taunted by a Beagle running back and forth on the outside of my fenced yard. I caught the dog(cutest little thing!) and called the number on his collar. The woman who answered said,the dog was a hunting dog and needed to be loose because otherwise,he would destroy her house!! I told her we had a leash law in our town and if I caught her dog on my property again teasing my fenced Dobies I would
turn her dog over to the pound. She replied that I should just "shoo" her dog home! What a jerk!!!!!!! So,I'm waiting for her dog to come back,I know he will. And when he does,he'll go to the pound and wait until his owner pays the $25 to get him out. 3 times and the fine goes up to $50. Unfortunately,this little dog has a very good chance of being runover by some poor motorist who will then feel so guilty about killing him.



airhead

 

[KrnB]

Sometimes you can't stop, and a busy street with no place to pull over is one of them. A sad situation for all involved.

Don't blame yourself Disfan1, there was probably no way to avoid hitting the kitty. Heaven knows they like to dart out - mine do it to me in the house all the time - and there's only so much you can do to avoid that.

I remember being a kid whose parents were teaching him to drive once, and a dog came running out of a nearby house right at his car. The poor kid never had a chance to avoid him, it all was so fast. I felt so bad for the kid, especially knowing that he wasn't experienced enough to know there really wasn't anything he could have done. 30 seconds later and it would have been me. The owner was mad - at the kid (which I thought was unfair, but it's hard to realize that when its your pet) and at himself for not leashing the dog before he opened the door.

That's why we never let our cats out of the house. I'd be a wreck if it were one of my kitties!

 

[Breezy_Carol]

This happened to DD earlier this year. She is a new driver and was taking her brother and herself to band practice and hit a cat. It was dark on a rural road and I am glad she did not stop. She was pretty upset but there was no way to avoid it. I am glad that as an inexperienced driver she didn't cause a more serious accident to avoid the cat.

Disfan, I know you feel bad but it was not your fault.

 

[dizneenut]

I'm so sorry this happened to you. Try not to beat yourself up, it was an accident.

 

[bjgrazi]

Airhead, I have to agree with you and owners letting their animals run free.

A few weeks ago, I hit a dog, he ran right in front of me. It happened right in front of where he lived. I stopped and felt horrible, the owner came running out screaming at me. Mind you I wasn't speeding or driving recklessly. Well I guess a neighbor heard the commotion thought it was an accident and called the police. I got let go and the owner got ticketed for allowing his animal to run free. The dog thankfully was okay, brusied and had a cut. Did the owner learn his lesson, nope week later the dog was running free.

I love animals, I have 2 cats and use to have a dog, I would never ever think to open the door and let them out to roam.

 

[airhead]

Do I understand correctly that you are one of those pet owners that let your cats roam loose? Shame on you! Its your fault that your kitty that you love you much is dead. How dare you blame anyone else!!!! This just makes me crazy....



airhead

 

[Miss Jasmine]

I know how you feel, it happened to me once, and to make matters worse my kids were with me. Yuck. I wanted to stop but like you it was a busy road. The cat got up and ran off, I hoped and prayed it made it back home safely. {{{{HUGS}}}}

I, too, get soooo upset at people who let their cats roam free. We have a few in our neighborhood and DH gets upset at some of the things the cats do. I think I finally have him understanding that these are not the cats' faults but the owners. I have read statistics that say the average lifespan of an "outside" cat is only 6 months. I love my Kitty to pieces, I could never, ever let him roam "free."

 

[perdidobay]

I agree with airhead....if you REALLY love your pets...you won't let them run loose...cats included.

 

[poohlover]

Yep, I knew I'd get bashed for replying.

Sorry all, yes, my cats do go outside. She went up our 300 foot long drive and apparently crossed the street.

All I was trying to do was point out the other side. I was not there, I do NOT know if the street is busy, as it apparently is..

I would NOT ask anyone to cause another accident by "helping".

As I stated before I understand how these accidents happen. But having one just happen last week to me, I was VERY happy that my children didn't have to find the cat dead in the strreet in a large pool of blood, (as she was).

I had thought that this board was for ALL...but I guess that doesn't happen when someones opinion differs from a "regular" on the board.

There are always 2 sides to things that happen, all I was asking was that people reading see both.

Enough of me, I am sorry to the original poster, I feel for you I know you must be supset I was not trying to "bash" you, just ofering another side.

 

[airhead]

Its about animals not knowing that roads/streets are dangerous.
No one is "bashing" you. We just want you to think about the consequence of letting animals roam,that's all. I'm sure you're a very nice person who loved their cat. I'm hoping that your pet's
horrible death has taught a lesson. Sometimes we do things(like letting pets roam) because we think its ok. In this case ,its not. And,as far as "pointing out the other sde" ,there is no other side.
Its all on the pet owner...


airhead

 

[jrmasm]

And,as far as "pointing out the other sde" ,there is no other side.

Exactly and I'd like to also add that when an animal that is ALLOWED to roam is hit by a car off it's property, it is not an accident, it is a tragedy that is completely preventable.

 

[Melora]

I hit a dog less than a year ago. I was driving home on a residential street and just as I came around a curve, this little terrier came speeding out between cars. (it was one of those short haired realy sturdy littlle guys.) The owner apparantly opened the door just at the moment that the neighbor across the street was walking down their walk with their dog. The little one in excitement bolted out and went under the middle of my car. (Not in front of me so I almost didnt know what was happening except I heard something hit the underside of my car very hard. I do not think the wheels went over him.) I stopped in the middle of the street and backed up (no traffic) and much to my horror there was this little dog laying in the street surrounded by owners and neighbors. The owner was sobbing and saying "You wont ever do this again will you?" I kept trying to ask what I could do but no one really wanted to talk to me. No one blamed me (Thank goodness.. that would have been SO hard) but they were all so concerned about getting the little guy to the vet that they basically ignored me. I left my name and number with the across the street neighbor but never heard from them. It was late and I had all the kids in the car so I really couldnt follow them to the vets or anything like that. We moved soon thereafter but I always hoped the little guy didnt die. I cried a lot that night. All the people at the scene hwo did talk to me kept telling me it wasnt my fault...

I never hit ANY animal until a few years ago. Then when we moved out here where there are more small wild animals I have had the AWFUL experience of hitting a bird (it didnt fly away until the last minute as I was approaching on a busy street) and hitting a squirrel (ran right out from under a car) and being with my hubby when we hit a bunny (again darted right out from the bushes at night)... I hate that..I am such an animal lover and it leaves a horrible feeling in your tummy.

The only thing I can say that itsn't very helpful, but is truthful, is that you will feel better soon....

 

[Dan Murphy]

So sorry to hear that Disfan1, very sad and hard to deal with. I killed a squirrel once and felt awful for some time.

And I so agree with airhead and others here about cats roaming. I know that rarely people will let their dogs roam, and I know cats and dogs get loose from homes and yards, but, so many cats are purposely allowed to roam aimlessly by their owners, and so many become roadkill, or just die out there from the elements or other wildlife killing them, because of it. I have never understood that. We have probably a half dozen cats or so that regularly traverse our property here (I have no idea who owns them), and I can say that if Vince's Doc ever grabbed one when we let him out in the yard (fenced in), he would make short work of it. Please cat owners (this is taking a leap of indiscretion here on the CB, what with all the cat owners here, LOL ) please don''t let your cats (and dogs or any other pets) roam, only to become roadkill.