What a shock after work!!

[Kirsten]

When I just came home from work, I saw a dark bundle of fur lying under my neighbors' car. It was a tabby boy from our neighborhood; I know him pretty well as usually he comes greeting me. This time, he was lying motionless and for a terrible second, I thought he was dead. When I parked my own car, he lifted his head to my very relief, but when I approached him, he didn't move. I didn't see any blood, or any signs of injury or illness, but I thought he may have some internal injuries from a car accident. I asked Gabi, my neighbor and co-worker (who was driving with me) to stay with the kitty, and I ran up to my place to grab a carrier.

When I came back down, the kitty had come out from under the car and had obviously demanded belly rubs from Gabi. But now he was lying on the pavement again. When I put down the carrier, he got up and walked straight into the box. I remembered that I saw him in a window in one of the houses in our neighborhood, and I decided to ring there before taking him to the vet. A woman opened and I told her what was going on. She said she would take him to the vet but had no car, but she would wait for her daughter and ask her to drive her. I was just about to offer her to drive him to the vet myself, when he came out of the carrier, and I saw he was able to walk. I tried to check his gums to make sure he didn't have a shock, but it was too dark to see it. But right after that, he went to his bowl to eat, so I figure he's alright. Maybe he was just taking a nap under the car, it's very hot here atm (hopefully the last heatwave of the year!).

Anyway, the woman thanked me and told me about her concerns about her boy sitting in the streets all the time. She promised to keep an eye on him and that she would contact the vet in case she would notice anything unusual. She told me she had lost his sibling two years ago, right outside her house. I told her I remember that because it was me who found him dead. She mentioned she would like to keep her cats inside, but they would insist to go out, besides, her vet would have told her you cannot keep cats only indoors. I told her that was nonsense, as I know many happy indoor cats, Luna and Lily included.

I hope the kitty will be alright, and be more careful in the future, or - what's even better - that his humans would reconsider and make him an indoor cat!

Kirsten

[sirrahbed]

What a shock for you to drive up to this!! Wow, it sounds as if the boy is ok - walking and eating.

I also think you did LOTS of good by talking with the woman about indoor kitties. Isn't it strange that her vet would say that about keeping a kitty inside?? But, if that is what is commonly done and thought, then it takes time to really become educated.

Let's hope that this kitty will soon become a safely cared for indoor boy! You did some educating Kirsten - good for you!!

(((((HUGS))))

[orangemm]

Poor fella. I'm glad you were there to look after him. Hopefully he won't suffer any ill effects from whatever ailed him.

I find it very hard to believe a VET would say that about letting cats go outside.

WRONG!

[catmandu]

If its still that hot, he might have had a touch of heat prostration.
It doesnt sond as though he had an injury trauma.
Thats was good that you checked up on him, to be su
re.

[Alasse]

As an owner of a cat that was clastrophobic (and yep sadly hit by a car)...i can tell you that not all cats cope indoors, though most certainly do get used to it

His mother is also not happy indoors and never has been... (i truely wish she was though)