I wish people who owned cats would keep them inside

This is the second cat I have run over in a few months, and another I had to deal with the death of in my yard. Then I get to feel like crap because THEIR cats are running in the road, and I either have to get in an accident to try to avoid it or end up running over the cat when it darts right out in front of my car. I'm sorry for any cat people on here with free roaming cats who don't agree, but it's not nice for the rest of us to have to kill the animal because it's not contained in a safe environment. Then I have to hear it and see it dying, because I had to run over it. I have to tell you that makes me feel horrible, but there is not a darn thing I can do about it. I have to cry and feel guilt over killing it.

The cat who died in my yard was killed by my dogs, they have a high prey drive, thus I don't have cats. They have never done anything before or since like it, but it was still horrifying for ME to have to see and deal with a dead cat in MY yard, because someone else didn't keep their pet contained. I have a high 6 foot privacy fence to keep my animals safe and contained, I just wish cat owners would keep theirs contained as well. I don't enjoy death of any animals, especially not because I ran over it or it came into my yard.

Ranting done. I just feel like crap because it's dead now and I feel it's the owner's fault that I have to feel this way and cry over it.

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Originally Posted by Vela

This is the second cat I have run over in a few months, and another I had to deal with the death of in my yard. Then I get to feel like crap because THEIR cats are running in the road, and I either have to get in an accident to try to avoid it or end up running over the cat when it darts right out in front of my car. I'm sorry for any cat people on here with free roaming cats who don't agree, but it's not nice for the rest of us to have to kill the animal because it's not contained in a safe environment. Then I have to hear it and see it dying, because I had to run over it. I have to tell you that makes me feel horrible, but there is not a darn thing I can do about it. I have to cry and feel guilt over killing it.

The cat who died in my yard was killed by my dogs, they have a high prey drive, thus I don't have cats. They have never done anything before or since like it, but it was still horrifying for ME to have to see and deal with a dead cat in MY yard, because someone else didn't keep their pet contained. I have a high 6 foot privacy fence to keep my animals safe and contained, I just wish cat owners would keep theirs contained as well. I don't enjoy death of any animals, especially not because I ran over it or it came into my yard.

Ranting done. I just feel like crap because it's dead now and I feel it's the owner's fault that I have to feel this way and cry over it.

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It is the owner's fault. Not that that spares your sensitive heart a moments grief. I am sorry. RIP, sweet kitty, and special thoughts to you.

:(

Cats that go out have half the life expectancy... Cars, dogs, other cats, getting lost etc or disease if not vaccinated..
I am sorry you went through this- its hard.. And you took the precautions- ..

I've never had to run over an animal, thank God (knocks on wood). Have you hit the 2 cats in the same area? Maybe you could slow down because you know they're there? I'm not trying to blame you for hitting them, please understand. I know it's equally dangerous to avoid hitting them. But my reason for asking is that since you can't change other's irresponsible behavior, maybe you can adapt to it and a) not beat yourself up for their ignorance and b) not have to hit any more cats?

Just my thoughts.

ETA:

I'm sorry you're going through this.

I completely agree with you Vela. I have never run over a cat thank god, but I hate seeing them running free and dying. My cats have always been indoors and they are so safe and sound. I wish that other cat owners could try and keep their cats off the roads too.

The two cats I hit weren't anywhere near each other, very different areas. I was only going 35 mph, taking my kids to school. But even that is fast when they just dart out right under you. I tried to stop but I couldn't, it was all at once. I do drive slowly though, especially around here and the neighborhoods, we actually often have deer running through here and sometimes coyote and fox, ducks and geese, as we aren't that far from the mountains, few miles. I just feel so bad that I killed it.

Do the owners of this cat know what happened?

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Originally Posted by Vela

I just feel so bad that I killed it.

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Sometimes, it's unavoidable, so try not to beat yourself up. And you certainly don't want to hurt yourself or your kids or another car by trying to miss the cat.

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Originally Posted by Lobodeb

I've never had to run over an animal, thank God (knocks on wood). Have you hit the 2 cats in the same area? Maybe you could slow down because you know they're there? I'm not trying to blame you for hitting them, please understand. I know it's equally dangerous to avoid hitting them. But my reason for asking is that since you can't change other's irresponsible behavior, maybe you can adapt to it and a) not beat yourself up for their ignorance and b) not have to hit any more cats?

Just my thoughts.

ETA:

I'm sorry you're going through this.

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One morning years ago, I went out to start my car, heard a scream, then silence. Someones cat had crawled inside my engine. I felt just awful... My younger brother one day almost totalled his car, and injured himself avoiding hitting someones car ( still see the marks in the tree he hit..)

I have no idea, I don't know whose cat it was, it ran out of a hay field. I pulled over but there wasn't anyone around and it was already dead so there was no point in trying to take it to a vet. I have no way of knowing whose cat it is and I'm not going to go door to door carrying a dead cat, I can't pick it up, it's horrifying enough to see what happened to it!

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Originally Posted by borzoimom

One morning years ago, I went out to start my car, heard a scream, then silence. Someones cat had crawled inside my engine. I felt just awful... My younger brother one day almost totalled his car, and injured himself avoiding hitting someones car ( still see the marks in the tree he hit..)

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You know, I've heard of cats/animals doing this. I used to make it a point to honk my horn and wait a minute before I started my car to give the creature time to get out and I somehow got out of the habit. Maybe I should start again.

good point... I do up here on this mountain, close my vents to keep a snake from getting in the car.. ( shivers.......)

I'm so sorry you've had to go through this. :(
How sad all the way around.

I wish my neighbor would keep their cat inside so it would stop peeing on my firewood that I burn IN MY HOUSE!!!!! :mad: :mad:
My dogs have almost caught it twice, and like yours, my dogs have a Veeeery high prey drive and are not wanting to play with the kitty.
It will kill me to see that, but I'm quite sure it will happen one day. :(

I'm so sorry this happened to you. I know how excruciatingly upset you were when the cat was killed in your yard too. People risk lives, both their pets' and other people's, when they let their pets run and roam. I have been fortunate enough not to have hit anything myself to this point, but I have witnessed both cats and dogs hit and the images are seared into my heart forever. Sometimes, an animal is out by accident, but all too often it's just people who don't care or don't try to contain them. Where I grew up in Missouri, roaming cats and ferals were practically in epidemic proportions it seemed. Here in MN, I have not seen nearly as many.

The one you hit may have been a feral if it darted out of a field but there's no way to know. Irresponsible pet ownership hurts so many, first and foremost the pet of course, but your case is a perfect example of how much it can hurt others too.

I know how you feel on this one. We have a lady right across the street had like 20 cats I swear. At least once a week there would be one in the road. Although now I only see a couple running around compared to the who knows how many adults, and then there were like 2-3 litters of kittens. I'm wondering if one of the other complaining neighbors had a shelter or something come get them. You can't help but feel bad, but then again it's not your fault somebody's cats(s) are running loose.

I'm so sorry, Vela. I agree with you. Not only are they in danger, but they tend to be nuisances as well, some cats.

Mom loves gardening, but is constantly finding crap from cats in her flower beds and nothing she has tried will keep them out.

How would people like it if we let our dogs just run around wherever and not pick up their crap?

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Originally Posted by pitc9

I'm so sorry you've had to go through this. :(
How sad all the way around.

I wish my neighbor would keep their cat inside so it would stop peeing on my firewood that I burn IN MY HOUSE!!!!! :mad: :mad:
My dogs have almost caught it twice, and like yours, my dogs have a Veeeery high prey drive and are not wanting to play with the kitty.
It will kill me to see that, but I'm quite sure it will happen one day. :(

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Oh I hope they never catch it. It was the most horrble thing I have ever seen in person, much worse than the episode today, as bad as that was. I will never ever forget the scene in my backyard, it was like something out of a horror movie, and I'm not exaggerating.


Thank you for the words of comfort, it will pass I just feel really bad it happened at all. I guess in the end I hope it was feral and not a loved pet who accidentally got out, but it still doesn't feel any better at the moment=(

So sad. We have a lot of barn cats around here that don't belong to anybody and I see a lot of them on the side of the road.

I once ran over a squirrel.... I felt awful and my mind constantly relived the thump-thump sound as my front and rear tires went over it. I can not imagine the grief and guilt I'd feel for a pet.

I hate when poeople have indoor/outdoor cats. My area has LOTS of people who live in the city and country and let their cats out. They don't stop to think of the obvious injuries like getting run over or attacked, nor do they think of the other issues like poisons, viruses, or mean people who's torture their pet.

Vela I am so sorry! How scary and sad :( . Our neighbor has a 3 legged cat thats indoor/outdoor and 2 labs that live in a pen in her yard, she lets the labs run loose around midnight till she gets up in the morning. Needless to say everytime we hear tires squeal or a bang we freeze. We have tried to educate and have called HS etc. but seems some ppl really don't GET it. :( . We all deal with trash ripped up, flower beds dug up, dog and cat poo that isn't ours etc. Btw the cat lost its leg by being caught in an engine last year,he went in it to warm up. She paid the vet bill and he was back outside in a week. :rolleyes:

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Originally Posted by Argranade

Do the owners of this cat know what happened?

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Chances are it might not even HAVE owners.
If it was feral or a stray.

I too don't like it when people let their cats out either. I let Kylie out on occasion with close supervision and she doesn't leave my yard, and if she does start to get brave and wander a very sharp "KYLIE" sends her running for the door. As do cars or trucks driving by, the rumble of a semi, the honk of a horn, as she's rather shy outside, which is fine by me.
Kloe is only outside when she makes an escape so its usually by accident. But she has no sense when she gets out there b/c she isn't as shy as Kylie, she is a lunatic outside.
I'm so sorry Vela that you have had to go thru this. It is NOT your fault it is the owner's fault that they don't know where their cat is. But I know that doesn't make you feel any better. :(
{{HUGS}}

I'm so sorry this happened to you Vela. They are frequent out here to, and I know for a fact most of them AREN'T ferals. There is this very sweet cat, who comes up to me and starts rubbing agianst my pants, she meows for my attention and I feed her sometimes, shes VERY sweet, but shes an outdoor kitty. I sometimes see her running about after dark and it worries me to death. I don't want such a cute sweet cat get hit. I know who she is owned by and she has a collar. I always expect seeing her dead, and when I don't see her for a few days, I worry alot.

I guess people just don't realize the posions, people, cars, etc. cats are exposed to when outside. Again, I would feel the same way as you, Vela. It's not fair that we have to feel grief because of irresponsible pet owners. :(

How horrible. Poor kitty, RIP :(
I'm always worried about hitting an animal - we're in the country too so I watch for deer, dogs, cats, raccoons, opossum, fox.....And I hate running over a dead animal - it just sickens me.
I've had cats and one lost his tail under the wheels of a car, but that was all. It is hard to keep them from wandering if they get out. My dogs also have a high prey drive,too. You wouldn't believe the long list of dead bodies I've had to remove...yuck.

I agree. There are PLENTY of ways to allow cats to have outside time but have them contained at the same time.

It especially bothers me when I am trying to have a peaceful walk with my dogs and then someone's cat goes darting across our path and excites my dogs. My dogs are well behaved but they are dogs and want to chase the cat.

Also, our garden is dog poop and pee free for a reason. The dogs are only allowed over there after they've done their business in their yard. Yet, I'm constantly finding poop over there because of the roaming cats.

It's just not right, not safe, and not one bit responsible.