Friday, March 02, 2007

When I was leaving to go to Sif's for an AB get-together, I ended up seeing my neighbors gorgeous fluffy grey tiger cat get hit.

This is a cat that's been napping in the sun on the walls for the past 3 years and we see in and around our house often. He was a lovely sweet boy, so to see him meet his end like this was heartbreaking. He was hurt so extensively I'm not sure how he didn't die instantly. His face was barely recognizable, his skull crushed in, ribscage collapsed, legs mangled, probably a tremendous amount of internal bleeding and blood in the lungs foaming everywhere. La ran towards him as he wanted to hug the cat, having no idea what happened. I grabbed La, quickly put him into the pram and turned him around. The poor cat was so damaged, dying, hopefully not even aware anymore but hung on for a few more minutes before it finally died. More than the state itself I think that is what's really getting me. There was absolutely nothing to do, no way to help. He couldn't have survived long enough to get to the car and even with treatment he'd not have survived but I couldn't do a damn thing. Not even relieve his pain. I had to watch till he finally died, just talking to him. I wish you could take a test and be authorized to carry an injectable painkiller so that if something like this happens at least they don't have to suffer. Yeah, I know the legal implications are a nightmare but... it sucks.

A lot of other things actually happened during the day but this is the one that has been stuck in my mind. Especially since after having indoor-only cats for all my life because of how dangerous living outside is for them (cars, dogs, wild animals, poisons from cat haters etc) I just dealt with it, like working at a vets again I guess... you just go into clinic mode and deal with it to do what you need to, but am feeling low right now.

It also kept running through my mind and freaking me out when we were at a meet-up with a bunch of AB'ers today and the kids kept unlocking the gate and going out to the street, leaving doors open for the very littlies who don't even understand to stay on the sidewalks. I was kind of flippy about not letting La wander out of my sight I guess. Even with us watching they still managed to unlock the gate a couple times or one of the older kids going out would let a littlie out after them when they left the house.

*sighs* Hug your furkids a bit closer tonight guys. And remember to keep them safe.

2 comments:

No one said...

Oh, I had no idea!!! About the cat, I mean... I knew about the kids going out of the gate (which is why I set up that other gate, but even still the older kids circumvented it and were about to let the littlies out when I stopped them)...

What an awful experience!!! (((((HUGS)))))

Amanda O. said...

Oh I know you had the other gate up and everyone was keeping a pretty safe eye on the kids, so more of a shocky reaction I guess and my imagination/fears running away with me. From personal experience I also know that La's response to gates it to climb over 'em, under 'em, around 'em or just yank till it gives way and falls over. They slow him down but don't stop him... much like his I was at his age! ;-)