Upset over a cat that wasn't mine

Bathory

Just had a horrible afternoon, me and OH went to the shop earlier to get a few bits and saw a cat not moving in middle of the road. It was a thin and very soaked tabby cat that would not, or could not, get up off the road.

My partner picked it up, put it in a box and we took it in our home. It smelt bad and the tail and part of the body looked kind of flat but there was no blood, it was shaking very badly although did put its head up a few times to reveal a beautiful face. None of the local cat rescues were open so I phoned the RSPCA who said they would send some one out. I just didn't know what to do or have any clue who it belonged to.

About an hour later it began convulsing so much that it was thrashing around violently and the smell was getting stronger. A man with a carrier turned up and took it away (no microchip), he advised that I would know what was going on but not heard back yet. I think I know what the outcome will be and just cannot stop feeling so bloody upset over it, him or her, I couldn't tell. I wish I could have done more - feel very clingy to my 2 old girl cats this evening. Has anyone else here been in a similar situation and then left wondering if they had done right ?

Quasar

Bathory wrote: »

Just had a horrible afternoon, me and OH went to the shop earlier to get a few bits and saw a cat not moving in middle of the road. It was a thin and very soaked tabby cat that would not, or could not, get up off the road.

My partner picked it up, put it in a box and we took it in our home. It smelt bad and the tail and part of the body looked kind of flat but there was no blood, it was shaking very badly although did put its head up a few times to reveal a beautiful face. None of the local cat rescues were open so I phoned the RSPCA who said they would send some one out. I just didn't know what to do or have any clue who it belonged to.

About an hour later it began convulsing so much that it was thrashing around violently and the smell was getting stronger. A man with a carrier turned up and took it away (no microchip), he advised that I would know what was going on but not heard back yet. I think I know what the outcome will be and just cannot stop feeling so bloody upset over it, him or her, I couldn't tell. I wish I could have done more - feel very clingy to my 2 old girl cats this evening. Has anyone else here been in a similar situation and then left wondering if they had done right ?

Please don't beat yourself up. The poor cat was suffering and you did all you could to get the help it needed. I'd feel awful too, don't get me wrong, but what else could you have done? I hope the little mite's suffering was over quickly.

Tiglath

Yes, a few months ago the neighbour called me round because he'd seen a cat hanging round which was very mangy. He managed to shut it in his garage and the RSPCA said they would pay for him to take it to the vet. I said I would give it a home - sweet little tabby thing, but I thought she looked pregnant. Turned out to be a very old cat with a brain tumour and massive organ failure - she was put to sleep immediately. I cried absolute buckets - I was convinced she was going to be ours. At least she had some love and care at the end of her life.

PlymouthMaid

It sounds like the poor thing had been hit by a car. At least you tried to help the cat. Many years ago on my way for a weekend break to Canterbury with a boyfriend we stopped to help a cat which we had witnessed being hit twice but nobody stopped. The poor thing died in my arms but not before biting me really badly so that my arm puffed up horribly all week and I spent the evening in casualty. To add insult to injury we could not find a vet or anybody to take the cat (without having to pay loads of money which we didn't have) so we had to drive into the country and 'bury' him in a ditch the best we could. I still think of that cat sometime and this happened around 1983.

Bathory

Thanks, its just recently happened so I'm still shaky. It was the convulsing part that got to me as I owned a cat years ago that picked up strychnine from somewhere and had to be put down - that was over 25 years ago and I can still weep over him. I guess I must be a bit too sensitive !

geri1965_2

Of course you are upset, as would any cat lover or decent human being be.

It was so nice of you to show it some kindness and try to do the best for it in it's final hours.

Abbafan1972

Don't beat yourself up about it, you did all you could. Hopefully he/she didn't suffer for too long.

I always get upset over other people's animals too. A while back my neighbour had a black cat called Boots, she had him for years and his health was going downhill as he was getting on a bit. She told us one day that he had gone missing and she was worried about him, we said we'd keep an eye out for him and later that day we spotted him in our side entry just lying on the floor barely able to move. I quickly went round to the neighbour and and she came and picked him up in a blanket and took him home. Some days later we saw the neighbour again and she said he lasted a couple of days before dying in his bed. And she said she was so relieved that he was home surrounded by people who loved him and not alone somewhere. Have to say when she told me the cat had died, it was very hard to compose myself.

Bathory

The gentleman who picked up the cat has just phoned to say it is a very old cat with hardly any teeth and it has a thyroid problem (I don't know what that means) so its organs are bad. It is on a drip for the night and that is all he could say. I honestly thought a car had done it but not the case it seems.

meritaten

quite possibly they are waiting and seeing if the cat makes it through the night. there may not be any more they CAN do. at least it hasn't been PTS and has a chance.

Bathory, well done for helping the poor thing. I cant understand why people will pass by sick or injured animals.

gettingready

Thanks for helping the cat and not just leaving him there.

Poor baby

When my lot are out I always worry about anything happening to them - although they never go far (apart from Macius the wobbly boy).

If I came across an injured cat I would take it to the vets to avoid any delays in what may be a life saving treatment, some are open 24 hours - hope someone would do the same if one of mine ever found himself in this situation.

He probably was run over by a car and the thyroid problem only came up in the blood tests as additional problem.

Hope he pulls through and has a happy life xxx

Froglet

And at least no one can slag the RSPCA off this time.Looks like they did everything possible.At least it didn't die slowly at the side of the road.


I don't know how people can pass by either without at least trying to help.