Cat hit on A836

[topotheuk]

I would like to advise the person who hit my cat early this morning on the A836 Mey to Dunnet road that he probably won't make it. He managed to drag himself (without the use of his back legs) 200 metres up my driveway to alert us to his condition. We managed to get him to the vet, but the vet advises that his pelvis has been smashed and he can't x-ray him today as the sedative will probably kill him. He will hopefully be sedated tomorrow and x-rayed, but the prognosis so far is not good: If his pelvis is so badly damaged that it cannot function properly then he will have to be put down. If his pelvis can be repaired, then he will at the very least have to have one leg amputated and probably his tail amputated as well. The vet is not sure about the other back leg. He was trying to put weight on it, but it wouldn't support him. He doesn't know if this leg is too far damaged to repair or not. Also, he is not yet sure what damage has been caused to his spinal nerves. So all in all a very bleak outlook for my wee cat.

I know this was probably an unavoidable accident, but it would have been nice if the person who hit him came to my door and let me know. I don't know how long it had taken the poor cat to drag himself 200 metres, but this could have been avoided if we had known. He may have damaged his spinal nerves by dragging himself all that way, which could determine whether or not he survives. If this person had come to my door, I could have got the cat at the roadside and got him to the vet before he caused himself any more damage.

Please would people just try to alert owners of animals when they are in accidents. It is the total disregard to animal welfare that annoys me. As I have said I know it would have been an accident, but maybe if that person had thought about how my two kids now feel, they might have had the decency to knock my door and tell me my cat had been run over.


Thanx

[luskentyre]

I'm really sorry to hear about your poor cat. As you say, it was probably an accident - but this just shows a complete lack of consideration by the driver by not telling anyone.

I hope the prognosis isn't as bad as first thought - and the wee fella pulls through.

[grantyg]

Fingers crossed - I hope he is okay.

[topotheuk]

I know, I'm not decrying the person for knocking him down, just that they never bothered to try to contact us to tell us that the cat had been hit. Too often people think, "och it's only a cat", well it may be to you, but to me and my two young kids its actually a pet, part of the family. It had been a ferral cat who we took in from the cats protection league. It had only in the last couple of months started to come into the house to feed and is now starting to be comfortable being in the house, he even likes to go lie in the kids' bedrooms when they are getting ready for bed. We were really making progress with him, and before anyone decries me for trying to tame a wild cat, he was left to his own devices and had started to come into our house through his own choice, not through force.
Anyway, Imwon't prattle on and on, I only wanted to say thanks for caring.

[highlander]

I am so sorry to hear your cat has been so badly hurt, and hope he recovers, its hard for people who have never owned a pet to understand, the misery you must all be feeling.

[unicorn]

you obviously done a wonderful job with him as he knew where to come for love and help when he was in unbearable pain.

[Piglet]

Wishing him well. :~(

[BRIE]

hope your cat makes a full recovery fingers crossed for you. There should be the same laws as when you hit a dog that it has to be reported.

[Mister Squiggle]

Take heart, topotheuk - your cat's injuries sound very similar to the ones my cat sustained some 9 years ago (smashed pelvis etc). She was hit by a car out the front of our house and I found her, after searching for ages, nestled in some bushes and not looking too flash.
Anyway, after some surgery, her hip was repaired and pelvis sorted out. It cost a fortune, but she was worth it, as she's a fantastic moggy. She's nearly 10 now and still going strong, with a keen eye for the mice and able to leap tall garden walls in a single bound.
Obviously, your cat's injuries might be worse, different prognosis etc, but I thought this story might give you some hope. I know how horrible you must feel and it's a shame people don't stop and check what they've ploughed into, because sometimes time is of the essence. Anyway, best of luck, let us all know how it goes.

[dragonfly]

don't give up hoping he'll pull through, our cat was hit by a car and his stomach burst through his diaphram and everything ended up in his chest - he too managed to make it home and we rushed him to the Vets who were not at all hopeful he would pull through - 6 years later he is still with us and none the worse for his ordeal but has a bit more respect for cars on the road now

[blondscot]

Sorry to hear about your cat and i hope that he gets better. I know how you feel my cat was hit by a car just a few weeks ago right outside my front gate and nobody let me know that they hit him or i might have been able to do something for him i found him dead in the morning at the front gate i have learned the hard way and none of my cats now get out at night

[Liz]

I am so terribly sorry to hear what has happened to your poor wee cat and like everyone else I really hope he does pull through.

Unfortunately there are some people who will think 'Och it is only a cat' but, thankfully, there are an awful lot of people who will know how you and your family are feeling right now.

I remember the little cat you so kindly gave a lovely home to, along with another, and you have done so well as he has obviously come on so well and this is because he feels safe and loved.

He is obviously a fighter so lets hope this will get him through this awful ordeal and maybe drivers will think twice if they hit a cat and remember the heartache this can cause. Of course we realise that accidents happen but even a few minutes are precious when any animal is injured and if it was reported to the owner then at least they would have the comfort of knowing that everything possible was done.

Thinking of you and your wee cat.

[fudge100]

sorry to hear about your cat,i know exactly how you must feel,as a few years ago my cat was hit by a car. his pelvis was broken in a few places,obviously with such an injury he could not use his back legs.but somehow he managed to drag himself in to a ditch close to my house.we searched for him that whole day and finally found him late that night.we had to call the vet in as at the time i did not have transport.the vet did not think he would make it through the night but he did. because he kept trying to use his back legs the vet thought we should give him a fighting chance,but after two weeks thre was still no improvement that the vet decided it would be kinder to put him to sleep.i dont think i have to tell you how much it broke my heart. it angers me that the driver never even stopped to see how the cat was. but after seeing the way a lot of people drive up here i have came to the conclusion that they dont have much road sense and they just dont seem to care.anyway heres hoping your cat pulls through.

[Fran]

I was so upset to read about your cat and hope he makes a good recovery.
It reminds me of when my cat was knocked down by a car and left some years ago. Luckily a near neighbour knew who the cat belonged to.
Donald Macgregor was working at the time and saw my cat and said his back was broken. I had to keep him in a t chest for 6 weeks, feed him and lift him out in a special way to toilet him. It was a lot of hard work but paid off. He walked without any problem and lived a normal life but never went near the road again. He died some years later aged 14 of kidney failure.
I realise your poor cat is more injured than mine was, but there is hope and I do wish you well. Let us know how he gets on.
It annoys me that drivers must report knocking down a dog, sheep etc, so why not a cat.
Thankfu;;y, i have never knocked down an animal, i think i would stop driving if i did, but i know i would find the owners and take the animal to the vet.
Obviously these hit and run drivers have never owned a cat and have never known the great companionship a cat can give to its owner.

[topotheuk]

Thank you all for your kind words.
Unfortunately after x-ray, it was found that his injuries were more extensive than first thought. After discussion and a lot of thought, it was decided to let him rest in peace.
He needed to have major surgery which would involve amputation of a hind leg and his tail. In his other leg he would need to have the hip joint removed, all this amongst other injuries.
He had been through enough and he might still not have come through the other end successfully. It was a very hard decision to make, however, my concern was with the cat and as I said we felt he had been through enough without having to go through all this and still have to be put to sleep.

Please, please to those who aren't animal minded (and I'm not decrying that, I know not everyone feels the same about animals), if you don't have any regard for the animal, can you at least think of the people who might just be devastated at the loss. All it takes is a knock on the door to alert them that their animal is injured, even if you knock the door and put a note through the letterbox, if you feel you don't want to speak face to face, this could be the difference in whether an animal can be saved or not.

Thanx again everyone.

[Fran]

i am in tears after reading your sad news, so sorry you lost your much loved cat, my thoughts are with you.

[Mister Squiggle]

So sorry to hear that things didn't work out for your poor cat. It's awful to lose a much loved pet.

[Piglet]

So sorry to hear about your lost. :~(

[henry20]

So sorry to hear about your cat. My favourite cat of all times got hit by a car and died just before xmas a few years back, It is devastating - especially when you have taken it in off the street and developed its personality. Hope you and the kids are ok.

[luskentyre]

I'm so sorry to hear that Shadow never made it.

You obviously cared a lot for him and, by the time he was determined to get home, he obviously appreciated that.

Hope you and your family are ok.


I hope all the people reading this thread now realise how important it is to report any accidents like this.

[Liz]

I am so, so sorry to hear the sad news.:(

Given the extent of poor Shadow's injuries you obviously made the right decision even though I know how difficult this would have been.

Take comfort in knowing that you gave a poor wee cat love and companionship ( sadly many poor cats don't experience this)which I know he will have appreciated.
As Luskentyre said he did his best to get home to you all.

Sending love and sympathy to you and your family.

[crashbandicoot1979]

So sorry to hear about your cat :( I'd be devastated if this happened to one of mine, my sympathies and best wishes go out to you and your family.

[grantyg]

Very sorry to hear your news, it is always difficlut when a decision has to be made, but it definetly sounds like you made the right choice - not worth putting the we fella through that.