Losing a family pet

[Gravekeeper]

To paraphase Carlin again: "Life is a series of dogs".

Though mine has mainly been a series of cats. With only the occasional dog in the supporting cast. The house never stays empty for long after one passes. There's a grief period, we're all sad. But we always go back to the SPCA. Because there's always more animals that deserve a home.

I've lost cats to a few things aside from old age. But only one ever got hit by a car and yes, fuck the drivers of said cars. I can understand if its dark and you're on the highway or something. But in a residential zone in broad daylight, slow the fuck down you asshole. If you do hit someone's pet, do something about it.

Specifically, something to help. The asshole that hit our eldest cat ( She'd been with us for 7-8 years, basically with us since I was 5 years old ) actually stopped, but only to pick her up and move her off the road and leave her at our doorstep to die. Then driving away before anyone saw him and I guess hoping someone would see her and come out to help or maybe that she just magically died sleeping on the porch.

It was a family friend next door that spotted her and realized something was wrong but by then she was too far gone and died before I got home from school. So I never knew if she could have been saved if the driver had even knocked on a door and let someone know so we could get her to a vet. At the very least to put her to sleep mercifully instead of just dying alone and in pain on our doorstep.

Ugh. Right, going to go hug my cat.

[wolfie]

To be fair, the driver may not have known they hit a cat. I "think" I've never hit a squirrel or other small animal, but I can't say it with absolute certainty.

Some years back (before I got into trucking) a squirrel made a successful LCC intercept on my left front tire, and I DEFINITELY felt the impact. For someone to not feel the bump when they hit a cat is out of the question.

In my truck, I've hit a bat (at least that's what I think it was) - had to change my shorts after the "thump" on my windshield. I've hit a couple small birds (size of a house sparrow) - didn't feel those, found them between the grille and the bug screen, and millions of insects.

[SongsOfDragons]

My total roadkill count is currently three. All pheasants who were more interested in gazing at my headlights than scurrying out of my way...

My first was while I was still learning, the other two were one after t'other in the New Forest.

[Andara Bledin]

I have the distinction of running over a sparrow. In flight.

And, yes, I definitely felt it, despite it being tiny.

Poor thing was more interested in the female he was chasing than the fact that she swooped down in front of an oncoming car. >_<

[bainsidhe]

Thanks, I stand corrected. I'll count my lucky stars that I've only had near misses with the local animal population. And human population for that matter. I've come much closer to hitting humans who deliberately walk into traffic than I have animals.

[tabbyblack13]

I know for a fact that I will be a wreck when my current cats go. These guys are the my kids since I don't have any yet. I live a three days drive from the closest family member too. They help fill the void I have from not having my family around.