This is Sad

[Python]

Cycling to work this morning - yes it was actually warm and sunny I saw people at the side of the road. Turned out a little cat had been run over. I happened to know the driver as he lives round the corner from me. He is a cat lover and was crying. Another man was kneeling beside the poor cat, which despite terrible injuries to it's head (the wheel had gone over it) was still breathing and the little cat's back legs were still moving (nerve probably). This poor man was breaking his heart as he thought it was his cat. As it turned out, it wasn't his cat but one nearly identical to his. The little cat passed away a couple of minutes after I arrived. All we could do was try and comfort the little cat and the people involved. The man who thought it was his cat lived nearby and went to wash the blood off his hands. His cat was sitting sleeping on the sofa so it was a huge relief for him. The next task was to find the cat's owner and break the terrible news.

When I was cycling home this afternoon I noticed that the cat had gone so they must have found his owner. My heart goes out to them today because I lost a cat in similar circumstances a number of years ago and I know how devastating that is.

It's bothered me all day. I've come to the conclusion that cars and vehicles in general are a necessary evil. I can't help thinking if we got rid of cars and all used bicycles (I know not practical) then tragedies like this would be few and far between.

I have to keep my car for about another year until my son no longer has to attend hospital on a regular basis. After that the car goes and I use the bike all the time.

I'm just so sad that I saw that today

[SadieKate]

I'm sorry but why not keep your pet cat indoors or confined to your yard using whatever safe and humane method it takes?

Both loose housecats and feral cats can be pests, destructive to wild habitat (songbirds, native small animals and reptiles, etc), dangers to other cats (ask anyone who has had their cat killed by another cat), and traffic hazards to cars and bikes.

If you love your pet, keep it safe.

[Kimmyt]

I'm sorry you had to experience that, its so horrible to witness something like that... I remember when I went into work one day and casually had mentioned to a friend that I'd seen someone's poor pet Husky on the side of the highway, then realizing that a coworker of mine had a husky and lived alongside the highway, and having to tell him of his dog... it was a very hard moment.

K.

[Python]

I'm sorry but why not keep your pet cat indoors or confined to your yard using whatever safe and humane method it takes?

Both loose housecats and feral cats can be pests, destructive to wild habitat (songbirds, native small animals and reptiles, etc), dangers to other cats (ask anyone who has had their cat killed by another cat), and traffic hazards to cars and bikes.

If you love your pet, keep it safe.

Over here in the UK most cats go out. I have a lot of cats, most of them go out but stick mainly to our own back garden (we have a large back garden) and our street is very quiet. We also back on to a large area of woodland so we're quite lucky in that respect. Our cats catch a lot of vermin - of which we've got a prolification of so they do a good job in that respect as vermin are carriers of disease.

This little cat got killed in town in a fairly busy traffic area. Now whether it was a cat that was allowed outside or a cat that escaped I don't know and I doubt if I'll ever find out.

A cat's basic instinct is to be free.

[makbike]

I'm so sorry for I know exactly what you experienced today. Having worked in a small animal clinic for several years I've seen the effects of car vs. cat/dog. It is because of these experience all eight of my cats live inside. It is a tough call to make but my gang seems to like the indoors for no one makes a dash for an open door. Life must be pretty darn good behind my doors. Every owner has to make the call and though I would never allow my gang outside I do understand why some people elect to have outside cats.

[Running Mommy]

Here in AZ the cats must stay inside. Otherwise they will become part of the food chain. Lots of coyotes in the area.
I'm always saddened when I see a missing cat flyer on our mailbox cluster. Usually it's folks new to the are who haven't a clue... Poor kitties...

[DDH]

I hit a little dog once that ran right out in front of me. Poor little thing. I just bawled, but I was more upset that the owner let this little dog run wild all over the neighborhood and didn't keep them in a yard.
I was on my way to work and going down my awful dirt road, so wasn't going very fast and didn't even see the little guy until it was to late.
It is horrible when we lose a pet I have lost two beloved dogs to natural causes, but it is also traumatic when you hit someones little dog or cat and know that you killed someones pet.

[LBTC]

Ah, the sadness.

three stories, but I'll try to make them quick:

One of our cats was struck by a car and killed on the very quiet street we lived on. I was extremely touched to find that someone had pulled him off the main part of the road and placed a garbage bag over him, held down by small rocks. Considering we were not home I found this very touching.

One day driving to work I saw that a small cat had been struck and killed. I pulled over, saw it appeared that the people in the houses had all gone to work already, so I played it forward - found a small towel in the back of my car, and gently covered the poor body. On the way home I noticed that someone had moved it.

The saddest one: I was not at the wheel, but able to look out the window and see clearly along a fast section of highway one dog had been struck and killed. Worst of all, his buddy dog appeared to be trying to get him up to play. That one haunts me as I wish that I had done something - anything. I don't even recall what was so important that we could not stop for 5 minutes, but I am sure we had a place to be in a hurry and it was a highway trip.....*sigh*. It's an if-only that I'd like to be able to change.

Give your own pets extra hugs tonight. It was very kind of you, and the others to stop like you did!

Hugs and peaceful butterflies,
~T~

[Python]

Although it is a bit different in America because you have different wild animals to us here in the UK with Coyotes etc. our biggest predator of cats is the car. Not only to cats but to wild animals too. Every year I lose count of the amount of hedgehogs, foxes, rabbits, squirrels, weasels, badgers etc. that end up as roadkill.

In this day and age we're all in too much of a rush to get from A to B. This is something I've come to realise since I took up cycling. I find that I drive my car slower now. I've always been a bit of a speed-freak. Many times I've done 100 mph+ on the motorways (freeways). I don't bother so much with speed anymore. What is it going to save in time? Maybe a minute or two and is it really worth possibly killing yourself and worse, someone innocent? No, it's not. Riding my bike to work takes me 14 minutes maximum now. It takes twice as long by car. If I was to strike a cat whilst on my bike, the cat may get hurt but it would survive. The chances are I would come off worst.

We're all in too much of a hurry these days. Perhaps that is one reason why people are so stressed out all the time. Maybe we should all slow down a little bit and not be in so much of a hurry.

Taking up cycling has really changed my attitude.

[Popoki_Nui]

..... I do understand why some people elect to have outside cats.

I sure don't. Maybe someone can explain to me why they would knowingly play Russian roulette with their beloved pet's life?

Not a day goes by when I don't have to talk to, and attempt to help a hysterical cat owner who thought is was a cat's basic instinct to run free outdoors, then wonder why it was hit by a car, mangled by another cat, dog, raccoon/fox/cougar/bear/eagle/owl, shot/kicked/poisoned by nasty human. What the hell did they think was going to happen?!?!? These are not kings of the jungle, and we do not live on the savanna where they are top of the food chain. These are pets, and have virtually no defenses against city (or country, for that matter) dangers. Sheesh. Outdoor cats live an avg of 5-7 years. Indoor cats live an avg of 12-20 years. Much healthier years, too.

Those of you who keep your cats indoors, bless ya. You know your cats are perfectly happy inside. For those who think it is wise to let your cats run free, please come and work my helpline, even for one day. Listen to the calls for help from people who thought they were wise too. Listen to the preventable tragedy. Come on...just one days' worth.

Whatever your preconceptions, cats are indeed perfectly happy indoors. There is not ONE argument in favour of allowing them to free roam outdoors. Not one.

Sorry, but this is my passion, born of my own feelings for my cats, and many yeas of listening to and treating preventable suffering.

Spay and neuter. Proper diet. Keep them safe indoors (or at least leash-train or build a cat-run). And have a good, long, healthy life with your beloved cat.
/rant.

Sherry.

[Trekhawk]

I sure don't. Maybe someone can explain to me why they would knowingly play Russian roulette with their beloved pet's life?

Not a day goes by when I don't have to talk to, and attempt to help a hysterical cat owner who thought is was a cat's basic instinct to run free outdoors, then wonder why it was hit by a car, mangled by another cat, dog, raccoon/fox/cougar/bear/eagle/owl, shot/kicked/poisoned by nasty human. What the hell did they think was going to happen?!?!? These are not kings of the jungle, and we do not live on the savanna where they are top of the food chain. These are pets, and have virtually no defenses against city (or country, for that matter) dangers. Sheesh. Outdoor cats live an avg of 5-7 years. Indoor cats live an avg of 12-20 years. Much healthier years, too.

Those of you who keep your cats indoors, bless ya. You know your cats are perfectly happy inside. For those who think it is wise to let your cats run free, please come and work my helpline, even for one day. Listen to the calls for help from people who thought they were wise too. Listen to the preventable tragedy. Come on...just one days' worth.

Whatever your preconceptions, cats are indeed perfectly happy indoors. There is not ONE argument in favour of allowing them to free roam outdoors. Not one.

Sorry, but this is my passion, born of my own feelings for my cats, and many yeas of listening to and treating preventable suffering.

Spay and neuter. Proper diet. Keep them safe indoors (or at least leash-train or build a cat-run). And have a good, long, healthy life with your beloved cat.
/rant.

Sherry.

I agree with Sherry and I dont even own a cat. I dont have anything against cats but I dont have one by choice and so dont want yours in my yard chasing birds and other cats. Be responsible for your pets and where they are. If you are an Aussie cat owner then please, please, please keep them inside or make a cat run for them. Our marsupials have a hard enough time surviving with all the feral animals without your cat adding to the problem.

[abvnx]

thats really sad. once while driving DH and i saw a cat that had been hit by a car. we stopped to see if we could help it but it was already dead so we just moved it of of the road. for weeks i didnt even want to drive by that spot.

i was working at an animal shelter in IL when katrina hit. some volunteers went down to pick up some animals since the shelters there were overloaded with lost pets. we took as many animals as we had room for.my husband was volunteering and started working with a little feral kitten. eventually she would sit in his lap and let him pet her so long as there were no sudden movements. so we adopted her and named her jenga. she gradually started to trust us and would come when called. she loved to be petted and brushed(if i showed her a brush, she would run to me and nuzzle the brush).
shortly after we moved to WA, i had a window open. somehow the screen got pushed out and we havnt seen jenga since. this was 2 months ago.we are very worried about her as there are lots of coyotes in our area but i still have hope that she will come back. i miss her and think about her everyday.

[Python]

Spay and neuter. Proper diet. Keep them safe indoors (or at least leash-train or build a cat-run). And have a good, long, healthy life with your beloved cat.
/rant.

Sherry.

I'm a great believer in spaying and neutering. Our cats are better fed than we are. Our Blue (he's 14) has got opening the fridge door down to a fine art! He helped himself to my husband's chicken that he was going to make some sandwiches with!!!

I've never leash-trained a cat before. What's the best age to start harness and leash train a cat? We have two Bengal kittens (9 weeks old) and would like to train them.

[makbike]

I've never leash-trained a cat before. What's the best age to start harness and leash train a cat? We have two Bengal kittens (9 weeks old) and would like to train them.

Start them now. I would recommend a figure-8 harness.

First, just let them wear it around the house for short periods of time. As them get use to it increase the time but never leave them unattended with a harness on for bad things can happen if they get hung on something.

Next, attach a short, lightweight leash to the harness and allow them a drag it around behind them. Again, never leave them unattend for even a brief moment.

Finally, let them walk you around the house. Cats are not like dogs - you should always allow the cat to walk you - let them determine where they want to go and how fast they want to move. Good luck and have fun!

[Popoki_Nui]

I've never leash-trained a cat before. What's the best age to start harness and leash train a cat? We have two Bengal kittens (9 weeks old) and would like to train them.

Nine weeks might be a little young, but 12 weeks or so should be fine. Begin by letting them wear the harness 1-2 hours a day for a week or until they're comfortable in them, then 2-4hrs a day for a week, then longer each day until they can wear them comfortably any time. Then clip the leash on and practice leash-walking indoors a little at a time until they are comfortable. Then, and only then, take your first tentative outdoor walk. Depending on your cats' temperment, it can take from 2-3 week to 2-3 months to leash-train, but in the end it is an excellent compromise.

Let's face it; although cats are perfectly happy indoors, most cats do like the great outdoors. It's the attendant dangers they (and their owners) are unequipped for. Going for a gentle walk in a quiet back yard on a leash is a relatively safe experience for the cat, and another chance for the owner to spend some quality time bonding with their pet. The bird population will thank you too.

Good on ya, Python.

~S.