OH MY GOD I'M A HORRIBLE HORRIBLE PERSON

[Millys Mum]

Did you report this to my moggy cozmo? If you didnt then please can you respond to their ad 

[YogiDot]

You are not a horrible person at all Cosmo.  There was nothing you could do and you sound so very shocked you poor thing (((hugs))).

I hope that somehow, in some way, you are able to find out what happened, at least then you will know and might be able to find some resolution. 

Life is like this sometimes, for humans and for cats.   Accidents are just that, accidents.

xxx

[Michelle (furbabystar)]

I've been giving this alot of thought and I've come up with a few local roads that it would not be possible for Me to stop on in heavy traffic....

xxxx

[madkittyrescue]

to be honesty Cosmo I think you've been very brave to put what happened on the open forum - there are many who wouldn't have.

Blame is something we all like to dish out but in situations like these its just one of those horrible circumstances that occur that we wish we could turn the clock back.  I know were I in your position I would be feeling awful and beating myself up enough that I didn't need other people to do it for me.

As others have said perhaps putting a poster up in the area may help - you will probably never forget what happened but if you find kitty or at least their owners that may help you too.

I hope you find peace with this soon 

[Mark]

If the owner of the cat has had it microchipped or it has a collar on, like any responsible cat owner should have, it will be identified by someone and the owners will be informed.

Unhappily, it is not common practice for a cat that has died in an RTA to be checked for a microchip.  Even pet owners don't necessarily think to check for a microchip if they find a cat in such circumstances

I remember Sharon lobbied our local council a couple of years ago and they bought 5 or 6 scanners to give to Serco. Even then, I don't know what happens in practice.

[Karon]

I'd assume a vet would check for a chip if the cat is taken in, injured?  Sadly I know that councils don't always check for chips when a dead cat is found on the road

[Rosella moggy]

If the owner of the cat has had it microchipped or it has a collar on, like any responsible cat owner should have, it will be identified by someone and the owners will be informed.

Unhappily, it is not common practice for a cat that has died in an RTA to be checked for a microchip.  Even pet owners don't necessarily think to check for a microchip if they find a cat in such circumstances

[Karon]

I know I've braked for birds and rabbits (and nearly got rear ended by some idiot when I stopped for a squirrel - but said idiot was waaaaaaaaaay to close to me and I'd have killed him if he hit my car.....) but, realistically, in traffic you do have to look first before doing an emergency stop.  Really hard to do, but I know there have been occasions when I've hit a wild animal because it's not been possible to stop safely  I hate it, I really do, and I don't know how I'd feel if I hit a cat but there are times you can't do anything about it.

I hope the cat's owner(s) found him, which is the main consideration now really.  xx

[Gail Bengal Slave]

  Coz 
I cant really begin to know how you are feeling. I know I would be deverstated, but for it to actually happen to you, does not bear thinking about.  xx

[JackSpratt]

Nobody really knows how they would react in this kind of situation.

That is a very true statement.

[The Duchess]

 

No.  No, you're not.  It was an accident and you were in shock.  Unfortunately, these things happen.  Do what you need to do but please don't let people saying "what they would have done in similar circumstances" make you feel that you could have done anything different.  Nobody really knows how they would react in this kind of situation.

   

[JackSpratt]

Hoping you're feeling a little less upset now, Cozmo. Also, did you put up posters at all? Doing something might make you feel a little less helpless about the situation.

[angel-77]

  Cozmo

Hope you are ok now.

Cant believe you have been getting horrible PM's, lets just hope the same thing never happens to them.

Imagine the uproar if you had swerved, or braked suddenly and a person had been seriously injured or killed.

Things need to be put into perspective, at the end of the day when we learn to drive we are taught never to swerve to miss an animal and to perform an emergency stop only when safe to do so.

If the owner of the cat has had it microchipped or it has a collar on, like any responsible cat owner should have, it will be identified by someone and the owners will be informed.

If anyone wishes to PM me with any  comments, bring it on!!!

Emma

[Kirst]

I've just noticed this , and from a professional point of view I have to dasy that i am obliged to tell my pupils if an animal runs in front of the car you MUST check your mirrors before you hit the brakes - as Julie said , the impact on the vehicle behind could be catastrophic. Coz , there was nothing you could have done at the time - stopping would have been Ideal , but if it was dangerous to others then obviously you couldn't.


Saying all this , if it happened to me I would more thsan likely brake first , and I expect mpst people are the same!

[Michelle (furbabystar)]

From members pming me with concerns i have edited three of the posts on this thread.

Please pm me direct if you wish to discuss any editing further.

Thanks

Ok will do, thanks Tan x

[Tan]

From members pming me with concerns i have edited three of the posts on this thread.

Please pm me direct if you wish to discuss any editing further.

Thanks

[Michelle (furbabystar)]

Why has this thread been altered ???
and by who ?

[Daisymac]

As others have said,  accidents do happen and unfortunately our body reacts in different ways,  it is the 'fight or flight' thing,  I had an awful accident in my car about 2 years ago where I hit a stag,  it literally jumped on my bonnet from nowhere,  it wasnt a front impact (ie he wasnt in the road and I hit him,  he jumped from the field straight onto my car)  the whole bonnet caved in and basically the car was a write off, but I couldnt stop,  I was too scared to stop I was in shock and continuted driving until I got to work,  bits were falling off my car and everything.  I was in a right mess and so upset that I didnt stop to see if the Stag was OK,  he run off into a field but I would have thought he was injured.  I phoned the park wardens when I got to work to tell them (it was in Windsor) and they said they would find him and get him treated if need be.   But on another occasion I was driving onto the M25 on the slip road and a rabbit was crossing,  I stopped in the middle of the slip road and blocked it for other cars to let the rabbit cross,  my luck is such that a police car came along and I was told off in no uncertain terms and given points on my licence but the rabbit lived.

I would want to know if my cat had been run over,  we have Lou Lou Flump missing and the worst thing is just not knowing what has happened,   try and put some posters up or contact the local vets and let them know what happened,  at least that way the owners will be able to find out what has happened 

[Rosella moggy]

This is a terrible thing to happen for you, the cat and it's owners  I shouldn't think there was anything at all you could have done to avoid the poor thing   

I lost a cat in an RTA and discovered purely by "luck" what had happened to him.  A neighbour found his body in his garden.  I would not have found out however if I had not knocked on the right house.  I can't bear to think what it would have been like not to know and continually wonder if he was coming home.  I think it would be a great kindness to the owners if you could arrange to put posters up where the accident happened but it is a decision for you to make.

[Millys Mum]

I would report it like you did the little one you found and took in, covers all bases then 

[JackSpratt]

What an awful situation. I can only imagine how upsetting it is to someone who likes animals to have an accident like this. And poor cat, too. I think it is a good idea to put posters up in the area. Someone might be wondering where their cat is, and although it's never what people want to hear a lot would prefer closure to not knowing.

[puggy1975 Zoe]

Working in a Motor claims enviroment I have seen over the years claims where people have lost their lives due to trying to avoid animals and others who have ended up with serious injuries that may affect them the rest of their lives. it happens. swerving to avoid something can also be very serious. you could mount pavement kill others. It does happen

Accidents happen and beleive me i have seen all types and i have hundreds just of claims i am dealing with ath the moment with various circs. it keeps me in a full time job with not enough hours in day and have to work extra to deal with amount of incidents u get.


Accidents can happen that quick and many people are very shaken and distressed after them and dont think clearly. very very common. Seeing it on a daily basis make it very real as to what happens

Its very very sad and everyone who lets their cat out should be aware of the dangers

Everytime you leave your home or do anything there is a danger. It has to be accepted in life that as much as we dont want them to accidnets do happen and lives are lost weither its to a human or an animal

Having lost friends through RTA's through no fault of there own its very hard both ways looking at a situation like that

[Karon]

What an awful thing to happen    Hopefully, as the cat ran off, he's been able to get home and will get treatment if it's possible to save him.  I'm not sure what's worse, seeing the cat run off or killing it outright   Sorry, not trying to make you feel worse - I'd feel dreadful if it happened to me. 

I've had a cat run over and nobody tried to find out whose he was, but we're on a quiet estate and he could only have come from one of perhaps 6 houses.  In those circumstances, IMHO, the driver should make an effort to find the owner.  But on a busy road, there's not a lot you can do really.  And I do agree that cats shouldn't be let out on busy roads - ours do go outside and on the road but as I said, we're in a quiet area and a long way off the main road. 

    for you.  xx

[Zenith (Liz)]

 

[BazandGem]

Cozmo 

You may have already done this, but how about going and putting a few posters up near to where you hit the cat, it could just say "Longhaired ginger cat - is this your cat or have you seen it since (whatever time accident was) on 22nd April? Please call (then put your phone number)" - that way if it has made its way home or to a nearby house/garden/driveway you will at least know if it is home/safe/injured/taken to a vet.

I had a very close call with a cat at the other end of my road a couple of years ago, it ran diagonally across the road in front of me (so it was going the same direction as me) - to this day I have no idea how I didn't hit it. Same with a rabbit yesterday, it ran right under my car but got away somehow!

My own (currently missing) cat Bazza chased another cat out of our garden once and unfortunately it ran straight into the side of a car. The cat did survive and the driver took it to a nearby vet, and the whole experience taught Bazza to stay out of the roads and away from cars, but not all cats understand unfortunately.

I should add that we live in a quiet residential road, not a particularly busy route - but these kind of accidents really can happen anywhere.

If the cat was able to get off the road hopefully it has been found by someone by now and is being checked over by a vet right now

[Leanne]

  to you Cozmo

[JenGeorgieBob]

I really feel for you, my fiance was driving me home one night on a busy A road, in complete darkness, through a quite rural area and we hit a dog! It ran out of the bushes in front of us, it happened in slow motion and I screamed so loudly, and despite slamming on the brakes we still hit the poor dog, it then ran off into oncoming traffic, across the road into bushes. We stopped and I spent half an hour running around in the pitch black and rain trying to use my mobile phone as a torch, wearing a little high-vis jacket crying because we had hit this poor dog! I was shaking and felt sick and I felt guilty for days and kept thinking about the poor dogs family! (we couldn't find it and had to do home) I still think about the poor dog and hope it got home or found help.
so I know how you feel, and it does not mean you are a horrible person! if you were a horrible person you wouldn't feel guilty or bad about it!

Jen

[Sootyca]

   It's a risk we all take if we allow our cats access to the outdoors. 

I would ring round the vets and rescue centres in the area in case anyone has reported a cat missing - at least if he hasn't made it home safely then they may find out what has happened to him. Also check the lost/found section in the local paper in case anyone advertises him as missing.

  Hope you are feeling better today.

[Fire Fox]

Very sorry to read of your experience, Cozmo, and just as sorry that someone who posts on Purrs was sly enough not to post their negative thoughts in public. That says more about them than it does about you IMO. Teresa it did not occur to me that it could be you as I don't think that is your style at all; I am very sorry to read of you losing Iris.  

There are two issues here, someone risking their cat's life near such a busy road and people driving generally - if whoever was behind you was following the rules of the road and leaving a safe stopping distance between their car and yours. You can only be held responsible for your own driving, not of those around you. If that stretch of road is so unsafe then action needs to be taken - speed calming measures, speed cameras, police hitting the street to ticket. What would have happened if you had hit a child?? Drivers should be able to stop safely.

[CC & The Pussycat Guys & Dolls]

I think that would be the end of me driving 

[Lottie (Team Svartalfheim's)]

There is never a day goes by that I do not hurt over Iris.   

[Teresa Pawcats]

I don't think that Cozmo has implied that you pm'd her Teresa 

The problem was the mention that some people had,  I wanted it made  known that I was not amongst them.

To others I would like to remind you that there are roads pretty much everywhere, losing 1 cat to an RTA in over 20 years does not make me irresponsible, I would be cruel to keep a cat that needed the great outdoors locked in a house all day. There is never a day goes by that I do not hurt over Iris.

Cozmo I really do hope you are feeling better today and if you read my original post more carefully you will see that I was answering the question you asked in a truthful way.   

[Lottie (Team Svartalfheim's)]

I don't think you are a horrible person at all Cozmo, tragic as it was these things happen and they can happen to any one of us

Personally I would rather that you had hit the cat and were here to tell us about it rather than if you had seen it earlier, swerved to avoid it and had a serious accident and possibly killed yourself and/or someone else.

[Michelle (furbabystar)]

These things do "just happen" ...
I have been lucky that I've never hit a cat but its come close as they do just run across the road....

I have lost my babies to RTA but I'm still able to give you a   

I would however have stopped, even if it was a motorway theres always somewhere to pull over. Hopefully the cat will make his way home and the owner will be able to get him some medical attention

[Angiew]

Very sorry for you and the poor cat.

Having had one of mine killed by RTA, I would have stopped I'm afraid and traffic be damned, I have been know to stop and inspect my car in the middle of the road 'cos I thought a cat ran under it while I was stationary in a queue and I wasn't going to move on until I was sure it was safe. But then, there's the voice of experience and hindsight and I can appreciate that you were in shock.

[Janeyk]

  I can tell how upset you are are Cozmo and please try not to feel so bad, it was an awful accident but, I do think it's up to owners to ensure their cats are kept safe, I also hope that the cat is ok.

I don't think that Cozmo has implied that you pm'd her Teresa 

I'm moving this to General Cat Chat

edited for spelling

[Pinkbear (Julie)]

Cozmo... 

There's evil in this world and there's accidents. Yours was an accident.  Time and thought will provide a way forward. 

Until recently I was a professional bus driver. I've worked people who have killed animals. I've worked with people who have killed children or elderly people. None of it was ever intentional but when a kind hearted human being is involved in something like that it can destroy them.  I have always felt There But For The Grace Of God. 

A lot of people won't realise that it was the cat or the family of 4 behind you. Or the newly weds on their way to honeymoon. Or the heart surgeon on his way to work. You just don't get the time to think. 

If you are looking for some practical way forward, how about an advanced driver's course? It will teach you new skills you never knew existed and it will minimise the chances of another tragedy.   

[Den]

Coz, you are one of the kindest, nicest, friendliest and most compassionate people I know. You are brilliant with your animals and everyone elses and my lot love you. So I know for a fact that 1) you aren't a horrible person in the slightest and 2) you would never, ever hurt an animal intentionally. So for this to happen it had to be one of the most freakish and unfortunate accidents which was 100% unavoidable.

You really can't blame yourself  If a cat runs out into the road these things will happen. Sadly it's a risk owners take if they let cats out by roads. I know this is going to be eating you up as if it were your own cat.

[puggy1975 Zoe]

Thats so true it wont be the last time and you did not go out intentionately to do that

There is so many things in life that if you could turn back time you would.

There are many animals and people killed on the roads daily but please remember you did not do this intentionally

Working in motor claims i have seen claims with people who have had horrific injuries to them after trying to avoid an animal and having derious crashed

[Cozmo]

It was impossible for me to stop because of the volume of traffic. I was/am in shock over it. Emotional.

I went out with my parents to see if we could find it, knocked on a couple of doors and spoke to some people who were walking by. Nothing.

While I appreciate that people on here might not have sympathy for my situation a) you don't know the road I was on b) you don't know the type of area I was driving through. Had I of had the opportunity to stop when it happened trust me I would have!

Thank you to those who have made comments to put my mind at slight ease (because I won't ever feel easy about it for the rest of my life). I did the best that I could in a rubbish situation. So saying I didn't do all I could at the time is a really unfair comment, because you weren't there! You want me to say I feel physically sick and feel like I should be strung up for it. FINE! Thats exactly how I feel at the moment, but I don't need people on here telling me that!

For those who have PMed me with advise, thank you and to the comments so far saying "It happens", its not the first time its happened and unfortunately it won't be the last.

To those of you who have PMed me with unsympathetic PM's, if you ever hit a cat in your car....I hope you don't feel as dreadful as I'm feeling right now!