I don’t usually post in this section as I’m not really a cat person. However, I’ve occasionally read accounts in the cat section from people whose four-legged friends have been victims of road accidents... They were criticising drivers' behaviour, venting their anger over the loss of their cats, and wishing the absolute worst on the "murderous" driver...
This morning, on my way to work just as I was leaving the village, a cat darted under the wheels of my car. I didn’t have time to brake or swerve. A ginger blur, a thud, then nothing. I turned around and, in the glow of the headlights, I saw the body and another cat, very much alive, wondering what was happening... Perhaps they were chasing each other?
I stayed with the cat as it took its last breath and then laid it on the grass verge. It was wearing a collar and a tag, but there was no identification... I tried to find the owners this lunchtime by going door-to-door, but with no luck... The owners had probably already left for work and will have had the heartbreak of finding their pet dead later on... I hope the people I spoke to and explained the situation to will forgive me for this tragic, irreversible accident.
Cat owners, if you value your friend’s life, please protect them from the dangers of the road. Keep them as indoor cats, or in an enclosed garden or a catio; please believe me, bonding with you and your family and interacting even indoors is better than the tragedy this cat suffered this morning. It might seem cruel to keep a cat in a confined space, but surely that’s better than a life cut short by such an accident? Is it really better to let an "independent" cat risk its life every day just for the sake of freedom?
I also want to assure you that while there are scumbags out there who would intentionally hit any cat in their path, many drivers feel real remorse and sadness for causing such grief to people who loved their pets and thought that freedom was safe and right. My thoughts are with the people who found their cat's body; losing a companion like that is unbearable.
I hope you’ll take this post to heart. My aim is to get a reaction, to make people understand that cats shouldn’t have to pay the price for the freedom their owners give them. As a driver, I couldn’t avoid this accident, just like many others who have been criticised here for similar tragedies. In conclusion, this accident has one main victim, but there are others too—the owners, who are surely distraught, and myself, as I’m struggling to get the scene out of my head...
Translated from French
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Thanks for replying. I also wanted to mention that she was a feral cat, about 3 months old, who turned up in our garden. We fed her but we couldn't get near her. We eventually managed to catch her—it was quite a struggle!—to have her spayed at the vet's when she was 6. We did manage to tame her, but she always kept her distance; she was very skittish and never wanted to stay in the house. She always stayed out in our garden where she had a shelter.
So sorry, Eric, about that awful discovery... I’ve been in that position myself and it’s a real shock. Could you have done something? Did he suffer for long? They are all perfectly natural questions to ask, but you won't ever get the answers, of course...
My own cat came home to die and that was also very hard to deal with...
Please know that when we lose our pets, we all feel guilty, even when there's no reason to...
The best thing is to try and put those questions out of your mind; they'll only cause you more pain (I know, easier said than done)... you're just in shock right now.
Try to focus on the happy memories and tell yourself that he lived a life as a free cat, enjoying his wanderings, his naps outside, and his hunting... we all know the risks of letting them out... but let's not get into that debate.
I found my cat dead on the grass next to a really busy road. I only found him four days later while I was out for a walk. There wasn’t a scratch on him. I feel absolutely terrible because I keep thinking that if I’d just found him sooner, I might have been able to save him. Was he hit by a car? Did he have internal bleeding? I just don’t know. I really hope he didn’t suffer and that he didn’t have to lie there in pain for a long time.
Hello everyone. It’s been exactly a week today since our little cat Hinata was killed in a road accident. Her head was crushed; I just hope she died instantly. She lost a lot of blood. That evening, she didn't come home. I searched everywhere for her that night and eventually found her just a few metres away. She spent the night outside, but by the next morning, her body had disappeared. Whether it was the binmen or someone else putting her in a bin, I’ll never know. I’ve been completely heartbroken ever since. My daughter, whose cat she was, had always refused to restrict her going outside, believing that’s just what cats are meant to do. Today, I’ve lost my little ray of sunshine—the one I used to talk to and who would always "chat" back to me. Losing her is hard enough, but not being able to bury her in our garden has just added to the heartache. I've been inconsolable. I know time will eventually do its work, but Hinata will stay in my heart forever because she was such a clever little girl. I'll always love you, my Chouchou, I miss you so much.
Your sad story reminds me so much of my own. We did exactly the same; my husband buried him under his favourite tree where he loved to bask. For all my other pets, I've had them cremated and kept the ashes. I tried to be brave just once by opting for a communal cremation, but a few hours later I was in floods of tears on the phone to the vet, begging them not to let him go and asking for an individual cremation instead. What a relief it was; I’d been feeling physically sick with worry. Having them close to me or knowing exactly where they are helps ease the grief—for me, anyway. It might sound silly, but everyone deals with things differently. So, I completely understand where you're coming from. Sending you lots of strength because it takes a very long time for the wound to heal; you end up feeling so much guilt, and only time can really dull the pain. You definitely made the right choice, especially for your little girl.
Evening, thank you for your message, it really warms my heart. It’s been three days now since he left us... we miss him so much. On Sunday morning, I was in such shock that I took him straight to the vet; I was struggling so much to accept he was gone and had opted for a communal cremation. Once I got home, I couldn't stop crying. I just couldn't bring myself to tell my 7-year-old daughter that our cat had died, as I didn't want to break her heart, so I told her I thought Milo had escaped or got lost. But I felt even worse and so guilty whenever she’d say, "Come on Mum, let’s go outside and look for him, we’re going to find him..." This morning, I called the vet to ask if the pet crematorium had come to collect my cat yet. The person I spoke to was so lovely and kind; she told me no, he was still there but the company would be arriving in about an hour. I rushed over to the vet’s to get my little boy back; he was frozen and wrapped in a towel. My sister-in-law and I buried him in the garden with some lime, and finally, my daughter and I were able to get some closure... What a relief to have been able to say goodbye and tell him we’ll love him forever. I’ve realised that I had to accept his death to be able to grieve properly. We’ve planted a shrub near him. I tell myself he’s gone, but he’ll be close to us forever now...
Hello,
If only all drivers were like you; I really take my hat off to you. Outside my grandson’s nursery, a cat was run over right in front of the children. The driver actually sped off, and it was the parents who had to step in and help the dying cat. The little ones were so shocked.
Well done for what you did.
I don’t think your cat would have suffered if he had a head injury. I lost a cat in exactly the same way; the people stopped and called us at midnight to tell us our cat had died. They said they couldn't avoid him because he darted out from behind a planter right into the middle of the road at that exact moment. He was hit in the head and died instantly. Luckily, he was wearing his little collar with our phone number, otherwise we would have found him the next morning in the middle of the road and goodness knows what state he would have been in.
I understand your pain as I’ve been through it myself, and since then, no more cats going outside—that’s it, finished. Because of that, I’ve only ever had Persians who are perfectly happy with just the terrace or balcony; they really are the ultimate indoor cats. We even moved house so we’d never have to go through that again—an upper-floor flat with secured outdoor spaces.
I’ve nearly run over cats several times myself, especially on our estate, and I drive very slowly because I know there are cats that seem to wait for a car to come before crossing. They drive me crackers when they do that. I can only imagine what a state I’d be in if I ever actually hit one; I don’t think I’d ever get over it. Even just seeing a dead hedgehog on the road really upsets me, so a cat... I’d be thinking about it for days.
So sorry about your little one. I take some comfort in telling myself that he had a wonderful life outdoors because he loved hunting, but still, it’s really tough.
I’m the author of this thread who had left the forum...
I’m so sorry about your cat; I’ve also lost two of my girls to cars. No more cats since then... I never want to go through that again, amongst other things. The first one died instantly, by the looks of it. The second had a head injury, lost her balance, and her third eyelid was showing. I had to take her to be put to sleep...
As for the poor cat I unfortunately hit, I was only doing about 30 mph leaving a village. I turned back straight away and he took his last breath in my hands when I moved him off the road. I don't know if he suffered, honestly. But I gave him one last stroke (I truly believe he was already gone...) without knowing if he was still aware of it. I think about it so often; I even dread it happening again. As much for the animal and myself as for the owner. I see cats every morning on my way to work; I've worked out the spots where they're likely to be, so I always slow down (not to mention I drive through wooded areas, so I’m not exactly heavy-footed anyway).
I think, in your situation, it’s best to tell yourself that such a severe bleed would have meant it was over quickly... If there were no signs of struggling or fits (disturbed earth or grass around him / foaming at the mouth), then yes, it must have been fast...
If you’re lucky enough to be able to cat-proof your garden, maybe you might find some comfort in another cat... Later on, once you've had time to grieve... more and more owners are doing it. When it comes to cars, there's nothing you can do; there's no such thing as zero risk—speeding, how fast an animal darts in front of a vehicle, and for some, a clear intent to run over the first animal they see crossing.
