What do you do if you run over a cat?

[Inferno]

Atleast you stopped and talked to the owner. I've had two cats get hit by cars in my life. Both times they were just left for us to find. There was even one time my dad came across a cat that had been hit and made an effort to see if the nearest house were the owners and sure enough they were.

[zamler]

You are too kind if I was a mod everyone that made those dip#### comments would be banned for a month.

[DuffMan]

crap, I was going to post that picture, had it queued up in the tags, had my finger on the post button, and decided not to.
I must be turning into an empathetic adult or something, damn.
guess I'm glad I didn't.

[jayswin]

Originally Posted by Winsor_Pilates

You could write a condolences card to them just to show you care.

Having said that, I can see some people taking that as an admission of guilt and trying to claim you at fault. Maybe my faith in humans is lacking, but I'd be concerned of it escalating by staying too involved with the owners.

Dumb story but related to the bolded. I was really shy growing up and brand new to driving. A guy in a civic with his buddy in the car started racing me, so I started too, we were both laughing and having fun.

I was about three car lengths ahead when he spun out and ended up on the grass. I had never seen anything like it in real life, so I spent a long time winding my way back to them just to be nice and make sure they were okay, even though it was all him.

Once I got there I politely apologized that it happened, not admitting guilt just "sorry this happened, this looks brutal" type of thing. Him and his buddy looked like they found an opportunity and immediately accused me of causing it and started pushing and threatening me and telling me to go take out as much money as I could to pay for their damage "or it was going to get worse".

[MoneyGuy]

Originally Posted by jayswin

Dumb story but related to the bolded. I was really shy growing up and brand new to driving. A guy in a civic with his buddy in the car started racing me, so I started too, we were both laughing and having fun.

I was about three car lengths ahead when he spun out and ended up on the grass. I had never seen anything like it in real life, so I spent a long time winding my way back to them just to be nice and make sure they were okay, even though it was all him.

Once I got there I politely apologized that it happened, not admitting guilt just "sorry this happened, this looks brutal" type of thing. Him and his buddy looked like they found an opportunity and immediately accused me of causing it and started pushing and threatening me and telling me to go take out as much money as I could to pay for their damage "or it was going to get worse".

I feel that story needs an ending.

[CorsiHockeyLeague]

Originally Posted by MoneyGuy

I feel that story needs an ending.

He fixes the cable?

[jayswin]

Originally Posted by MoneyGuy

I feel that story needs an ending.

They eventually talked to each other away from me and likely realized that not only were they not getting anything but that they had also started committing criminal acts and that was it.

[jayswin]

Originally Posted by CorsiHockeyLeague

He fixes the cable?

I don't get it. EDIT: Now I get it.

[MarchHare]

Originally Posted by jayswin

I don't get it.

You're out of your element.

[Maritime Q-Scout]

Originally Posted by CorsiHockeyLeague

Some people in here are huge jerks.

I know, welcome to the internet.

Originally Posted by schteve_d

Really? The guy posts this, posts that he is still suffering over the loss of his own pet cat and is upset over this incident and some of you post pictures and "jokes" like this? Not that it would be ok regardless of the OP, but this is a longtime respected poster here.

I'm disgusted with some of you.

Originally Posted by Yamer

Jesus ####ing Christ, some of you are truly pathetic. Exercise some god damned common sense.

I'm so sorry this happened to you. Last year my roommate had a similar incident, and it devastated her. She also couldn't do anything for the cat, and stayed with it on the side of the road until it passed. I couldn't even imagine the kind of heartbreak an animal person must go through when this happens, and I hope I never find out.

And condolences about your little buddy. All the strength in the world right now.

Originally Posted by ken0042

Deleted some of the worst posts.

I'm not a cat person myself, and in a different context some of those other posts may be considered funny. However not in a thread where somebody is obviously hurting, and is coming here for support.

Thanks guys, I did see the deleted posts and was taken a back. I just couldn't imagine putting up the "Free Cat" sign like that. To me it'd be no different if someone put up a sign "Adopt A Child" next to one of the victims from yesterday's Toronto van rampage.

That said, while I *am* softer than Jello Pudding, I'm also big and ugly enough to scroll past without too much fuss.

That said, thanks for the replies above and the ones I may have missed in the multi-quote.

Originally Posted by Inferno

Atleast you stopped and talked to the owner. I've had two cats get hit by cars in my life. Both times they were just left for us to find. There was even one time my dad came across a cat that had been hit and made an effort to see if the nearest house were the owners and sure enough they were.

That's what I would have wanted done if my little girl got out and was hit by a car. I know too many people whose cat got out and never came back without a trace or a word.

They say someone's true character can be judged based on two things:

1. How they treat wait staff in a restaurant
2. How they treat animals

I'm not saying that I'm the best person to ever walk the face of the earth, that's up for future generations to decide.

I just wanted to be sure the little guy was taken care of.

There was no hesitation or question in my mind of what I should do. Sometimes it's difficult to do the right thing, sometimes you don't even think twice.

If nothing else I hope this thread puts the thought into people's minds that if they are so unfortunate to be in the same situation they'd act with compassion.

[woob]

I've hit 3 animals in my life.

One was a bird as I was driving back from a field site visit to Provost just over 15 years ago. It hit the corner of the truck and launched about 100 feet straight up in the air. I felt terrible. The third was a squirrel that I completely flattened after it bolted out on a busy side street about 3 years ago. Again, I felt terrible despite it just being a squirrel.

But the one that stuck with me for a couple weeks after was a dog I hit around 12 years ago. The dog lived, but I still felt sick to my stomach. I was driving to a site visit at a client's home around 6pm at night in the middle of winter. Snowy side street, not great conditions. All of a sudden a golden retriever comes bolting out on the right side in to the street in front of me. I hit the brakes hard, but with the conditions, you can imagine how well that worked. I caught the dog on his rear half with the left corner of the car and sent him spinning. Once I got stopped I saw that he had gotten up and walked back to his owner's house, so I turned around where I could and drove back to the house to talk to the owners. The dog seemed ok, all happy and golden retrievery, but I knew he was going to have some bruising and pain. The owners were apologetic to me, and I was flabbergasted. Here I am, the one who hit their dog, and they were apologizing to me. Anyways, after hanging out for 5-10 minutes or so, making sure the dog was fine and getting in lots of pets and apologies , I left. But I thought about that dog several times a day for the next couple weeks.

Anyways I appreciate that you came here to get insight on this from CP. It shows you're good people and I commend that. I just wanted to share my story with you.

[TorqueDog]

I am pretty good at keeping my emotions in check, but I'd be a blubbering mess if I hit someone's cat or dog with my car, because I would immediately think of how I'd feel if it was my cat or dog, having both myself. Maritime acted pretty admirably in my opinion.

Some of you are kinda being dicks.

[ben voyonsdonc]

As someone who is a cat lover and while I don't let my cat out, she has slipped out a couple of times when a stranger opens the door, I'd like to thank you for doing the right thing and talking with the owner. You don't owe them anything other than letting them know that it happened but I love the idea of supporting the MEOW Foundation.

[DuffMan]

my next door neighbor has gone through about 3 cats, as they let them outdoors to roam freely, either they don't care or are just plain stupid.
We have 2 cats, 1 doesn't go out and the other only goes out when someone is outside with it. They've never been hit and put other people through trauma for hitting them.

[Fuzz]

We trained our kitten with a harness. An hour a day in the house, every day. When spring came, she was used to it, and she comes out with us. She gets to enjoy the outdoors, won't get run over, and has a major impediment to hunting birds. She can still get mice, though.

So cats can be leash trained, despite what some people think. You just have to do it early.

[ken0042]

As mentioned- I am not a cat person but I am an animal person; so I can appreciate what you are going through. Having friends who have cats who are allowed outside, a few of them say they do so knowing that there are many dangers; and that they may never see their cat again. Basically they have decided that the cat having a fuller but possibly shorter life is better for the cat.

So essentially it was the owner who introduced this risk, and not your fault that it happened to be you.

And I say the above not necessarily agreeing with the "free range cat" philosophy; just acknowledging that it exists.

[CroFlames]

Originally Posted by ken0042

Deleted some of the worst posts.

I'm not a cat person myself, and in a different context some of those other posts may be considered funny. However not in a thread where somebody is obviously hurting, and is coming here for support.

[Cecil Terwilliger]

As a cat owner I feel your pain. I’d be upset if I ever hit someone’s pet.

But if I may, I have a bit of a humorous story about running over animals (I know, just bear with me). At the very least hopefully you’ll know you’re not the only one traumatized by an event like this.

So I’m like 8 years old?, maybe younger, and my parents, my sister (3 years older than me) and I are making one of our regular treks thru the prairies. I probably liked in Sask at the time. We’re in an old school early 90s Aerostar minivan. Cruising down the Sasky highway when my old man sees a family of ducks crossing the road. Not enough time to stop, with my mom shouting, my sister and I calling out for my dad to be mindful of the ducks, he smokes...something. We’re not sure. There’s a thud and some feathers but it looked like the ducks were scrambling so maybe we just skimmed one of the ducks. At the very least my dad appeared to miss the half dozen or so chicks, but did he hit mama duck?

About 30 minutes later in the next podunk town we drive thru my dad stops at a Fas Gas. We all rush out. The gas jockey, some gruff small town looking guy is waiting at the pump (ah the good old days of full serve).

Right as my sister and I step around the front and my mother proclaims “oh I hope it isn’t the mother goose” (duck? I don’t know, it had wings), the heartless gas station guy says, as he’s peeling this rather large fowl from our red aerostar’s front bumper, “yep, it’s the mother alright” and proceeds to place the large corpse of the duck into a big garbage barrel.

But it doesn’t end there. Someone, i can’t recall who, says “oh but I hope her little chicks are ok” and without missing a beat crusher of dreams small town gas station guy says, in a tone like he’s responding to how he's enjoying the summer day and no mind to the permanent childhood scars he’s creating, “not likely, without the mother they’ll be lunch for a coyote”.

My childhood ended that day. That’s all I have to say about that.

[speede5]

I had a cat run over in the street as my kids were playing in the yard and I was working on my car.

Kid tried to stop but couldn't, he stuck around and said sorry and I told him not to worry, not his fault. He went on his way and we dealt with the dead cat.

I never felt he owed us anymore than that.

When I heard the brakes and thump I thought it was one of my kids cause the younger one yelled at the older one just before the impact. Part of me was actually glad it was just the cat.

[Maritime Q-Scout]

In a somewhat ironic twist of fate, or perhaps it's the sign of our little kitten looking down from the next life but yesterday I took home her remains. Her collar fit nicely around the neck of the urn. Not knowing what to do with her, I put her in a basement window that overlooks what will be the basement wetbar and out a window. She loved windows and high perches so I thought it was perfect.

I should note the cat always looked out for our baby, she didn't like him but sure loved him. Always the first to check on him, needed to be there to put him to bed, during story time etc. Our kitten was very protective of the baby. Our now one year old LOVED the 'itty'.

Last night my son took his first steps. Fitting on the day we took home his watch cat/guardian.

I don't know if there's a higher power, an afterlife or the ability to watch/help from the beyond. I choose to believe, and the coincidence seems to great to simply be the law of large numbers.

If our little kitty is watching and protecting from beyond the grave, it means the other family's cat is too. Which is comforting in a way.