topic Re: I Know I Did the Right Thing, But My Heart is Still Breaking (WARNING! Sad Animal Story!) in Community Chat

I Know I Did the Right Thing, But My Heart is Still Breaking (WARNING! Sad Animal Story!)

Plaid Pants2 — Mon, 23 Nov 2015 04:22:23 GMT

WARNING! What I am about to say, is upsetting. Read at own risk. Have

WARNING! What I am about to say is upsetting. Read at your own risk. Have tissues handy.

I am still upset and sad over what happened today. My heart is breaking.

I was on my way home today (Sunday), and was driving on the main residential street near my apartment. I was less than a mile from home, when a cat started to cross in front of my car, going from my left, to my right.

I slammed on my breaks, which caused the cat to turn around, and go in the opposite direction.

At the same time, a car came from the opposite direction. I was heading one way, the other car was coming towards me.

I heard a pop sound.

I looked in my rearview mirror, and saw the cat, drag itself off of the road. It could not use its hind legs.

I could not just leave it there to suffer, and be in pain.

The car that hit it did stop, but then left.

I hope that they rot in Hades for that.

I turned around, stopped, and went to the injured cat. It barely meowed.

I gently scooped it up and placed it in the back of my car.

I remembered that there was an emergency vet clinic near by, so I went there.

To my surprise and dismay, it no longer exists.

I pulled in to Costco, and pulled out my smart phone, and started calling.

Most places were closed. One only delt with large animals, but they gave me some other numbers.

I tried those. No luck. No answer.

So finally I called the non-emergency police number.

After talking to them, they gave me the address of a vet clinic, where I could take the cat.

It was one town over.

The operator told me that they would call the clinic to let them know that I was on my way.

So I drove through the dense fog to the clinic, where they were waiting for me.

They took the poor injured cat, and got my information.

They wouldn't let me stay with it.

I don't know what, if anything, that the vets can do for it, except end its suffering.

I feel so sad.

The image of seeing that cat drag its back legs, is going to haunt me.

I know that that cat was in pain.

I couldn't just leave it there to suffer.

I couldn't.

It wasn't even my cat that I did this for.

I just imagine the owner worried about their cat, and why it hasn't come home, not knowing what happened to it. I don't even know who the cat belongs to.

I am sorry this is so long, but as I said, I am still very upset over what happened.

I know that I did the right thing, but I still feel awful.

I just needed to talk.

Re: I Know I Did the Right Thing, But My Heart is Still Breaking (WARNING! Sad Animal Story!)

Moonchilde — Mon, 23 Nov 2015 04:34:09 GMT

OMG @Plaid Pants2, {{{HUGS}}}

I completely understand why you feel awful, I would too. But you did everything you could have done, and thanks to you, the kitty's pain and suffering was the least it could have been.

Re: I Know I Did the Right Thing, But My Heart is Still Breaking (WARNING! Sad Animal Story!)

denisemb — Mon, 23 Nov 2015 04:44:54 GMT

@Plaid Pants2 Bless you for having the compassion and empathy to lessen the suffering of one of God's creatures, even at a cost to yourself (the emotional cost, not monetary).

Re: I Know I Did the Right Thing, But My Heart is Still Breaking (WARNING! Sad Animal Story!)

Venezia — Mon, 23 Nov 2015 04:48:36 GMT

@Plaid Pants2 - I am so sorry that this happened to you. I've also had a similar experience, except that I was walking and had a cat run past me into the street and hit by a van that was going too fast on a residential street; would've been the same result, if it had been a child. There was simply nothing that time that could be done, but I stayed until someone I knew came along and said he would "deal with it" and find the owner.

I still remember that to this day and it was many years ago.

You did what you could to get that poor cat whatever help is possible. Please take some solace in that.

Re: I Know I Did the Right Thing, But My Heart is Still Breaking (WARNING! Sad Animal Story!)

september — Mon, 23 Nov 2015 04:56:42 GMT

You were very kind and compassionate, for coming to the aid of this cat. I know it might have looked bad, but perhaps the vet was able to save him/her. Also, if there was a collar or chip...the owner would have been notified.

They say cats do have 9 lives. Earlier this year, I was dropping my husband off at the gym, close to our home. As I drove along the highway, I glimpsed an animal's body along the side of the road. After I passed it, I realized it looked just like the cat that lives next door to us. I dropped off my husband, turned around and went back to where I had seen it. Someone had picked it up.

We didn't see this cat for 6 weeks....it had spent a lot of time at our place. I assumed it had passed away. Then one day....there she was again, making the rounds.

I hope the cat you helped recovers. If not...you did everything you could.

Re: I Know I Did the Right Thing, But My Heart is Still Breaking (WARNING! Sad Animal Story!)

Kachina624 — Mon, 23 Nov 2015 06:56:04 GMT

@Plaid Pants2. If the kitty lost the use of its back legs, there's an excellent it lost feeling and was not in pain. Sadly animals with those injuries are usually not salvageable.

You should be commended for your efforts to help the kitty. I wish people would keep their cats inside so neither the cat nor the public has to go through this.

Re: I Know I Did the Right Thing, But My Heart is Still Breaking (WARNING! Sad Animal Story!)

Tinkrbl44 — Mon, 23 Nov 2015 07:25:30 GMT

@Plaid Pants2

OMG, what a terrible experience! Still, you are to be commended for taking the time to get this furbaby to a vet .... if they can be saved. If they cannot be saved, at least they can be humanely put to sleep, and not end up suffering in a ditch.

Did the cat have a collar on? Hopefully, it has a chip embedded in it and the owner can be notified.

I know this was upsetting ..... but you did all you could for this little sweetie. Consider yourself hugged ... twice.

Tink

Re: I Know I Did the Right Thing, But My Heart is Still Breaking (WARNING! Sad Animal Story!)

Toppers — Mon, 23 Nov 2015 08:24:11 GMT

Please try not to feel bad.

You tried to help this dear little kitty. I commend you for that.

Years ago, my DH and I were driving home one summer night, and we saw a kitty trying to run across the street, way ahead of us. A pick-up truck was going too fast down the street, and kept on going.

Anyway, we stopped to see what we could do to help the kitty.

I did like you did and called the non-emergency police. I had wrapped it in a towel that I had kept in the car.

They said that they would pick the kitty up for us, and take care of it.

Re: I Know I Did the Right Thing, But My Heart is Still Breaking (WARNING! Sad Animal Story!)

hckynutjohn — Mon, 23 Nov 2015 08:38:16 GMT

I am so sorry you had to experience something this terrible. It tells me all I need to know about who you really are and your caring fir living creatures. Very few people would go to the lengths you did to help this suffering animal.

Hopefully you will recognize the good you did for this cat and this will help dim the painful part of this very sad experience.

This is only 1 of many terrible and painful things that happens to cats when their owners let them go outside the safety of their homes.

Thank you for caring and doing so much to help this helpless kitty. There will beautiful places for people like you when life as we know it is over. My best wishes for you having to deal with such a sad and mentally painful experience. Bless you!

hckynut(john)

Re: I Know I Did the Right Thing, But My Heart is Still Breaking (WARNING! Sad Animal Story!)

goldensrbest — Mon, 23 Nov 2015 11:14:01 GMT

This was a caring ,loving deed you did.

Re: I Know I Did the Right Thing, But My Heart is Still Breaking (WARNING! Sad Animal Story!)

MaggieMack — Mon, 23 Nov 2015 12:11:49 GMT

"Whatever you did for the least of them, you did for me." (Loosely quoted).

In my eyes, you are a Saint. Thank you for your compassion.

Re: I Know I Did the Right Thing, But My Heart is Still Breaking (WARNING! Sad Animal Story!)

violann — Mon, 23 Nov 2015 13:13:19 GMT

PLAID PANTS- You did EVERY LOVING THING that could be done!!!!!!

How grateful I am to read that there are people still around who are as animal obsessed as I am.

I am absolutely opposed to allowing cats to roam except in very unusual circumstances. We only have INSIDE cats.

On the slim assumption that the kitty escaped from its house, you ministered to it with maximum concern and affection.

THANK YOU for what you did.

Re: I Know I Did the Right Thing, But My Heart is Still Breaking (WARNING! Sad Animal Story!)

Bird mama — Mon, 23 Nov 2015 13:20:03 GMT

@Plaid Pants2

Oh sweetie, I am so sorry that you had to experience such a traumatic event. This is probably going to sound stupid and I'm not sure how to write it but here it goes. Yes, the cat suffered a cruelty by a human being that was driving a car. Before it crossed the rainbow bridge, it did experience kindness from a human (you) that recognized it was special and precious and not some piece of garbage to be left discarded on the road.

The cat could have lay there and suffered an agony death and you interceded to find a qualified person to end it's suffering and show it kindness.

Bless you for that and try to find comfort that the little cat is running around and playing with other animals on the other side of the rainbow bridge.

Re: I Know I Did the Right Thing, But My Heart is Still Breaking (WARNING! Sad Animal Story!)

nunya — Mon, 23 Nov 2015 13:45:40 GMT

You did the right thing. Poor kitty needed help and you provided that instead of driving on by. The world needs more people like you. You may not know who the owners were, but I'd be grateful if someone provided care for my animal.

Re: I Know I Did the Right Thing, But My Heart is Still Breaking (WARNING! Sad Animal Story!)

KingstonsMom — Mon, 23 Nov 2015 15:08:37 GMT

@hckynutjohn wrote:
I am so sorry you had to experience something this terrible. It tells me all I need to know about who you really are and your caring fir living creatures. Very few people would go to the lengths you did to help this suffering animal.

Hopefully you will recognize the good you did for this cat and this will help dim the painful part of this very sad experience.

This is only 1 of many terrible and painful things that happens to cats when their owners let them go outside the safety of their homes.

Thank you for caring and doing so much to help this helpless kitty. There will beautiful places for people like you when life as we know it is over. My best wishes for you having to deal with such a sad and mentally painful experience. Bless you!

hckynut(john)

What John said!

Thank you and bless you for caring so much!

Re: I Know I Did the Right Thing, But My Heart is Still Breaking (WARNING! Sad Animal Story!)

JustJazzmom — Mon, 23 Nov 2015 15:28:13 GMT

Sorry you had to go through this; is there any update from the vet hospital where you gave the kitty to them?

Re: I Know I Did the Right Thing, But My Heart is Still Breaking (WARNING! Sad Animal Story!)

Susan-QVC — Mon, 23 Nov 2015 15:35:10 GMT

@Plaid Pants2 I am so sorry for you!! I can only imagine how difficult this must have been. So So Sad

Re: I Know I Did the Right Thing, But My Heart is Still Breaking (WARNING! Sad Animal Story!)

Puzzle Piece — Mon, 23 Nov 2015 15:38:10 GMT

You did the right thing. In driver's training when I was a teen. We were instructed to do 'the right thing' when an animal is injured and in agony or pay or worse. It is considered humane and the right thing to do.

Re: I Know I Did the Right Thing, But My Heart is Still Breaking (WARNING! Sad Animal Story!)

Sherox — Mon, 23 Nov 2015 15:45:32 GMT

You absolutely 100% did the right thing given the circumstances.

Re: I Know I Did the Right Thing, But My Heart is Still Breaking (WARNING! Sad Animal Story!)

jaxs mom — Mon, 23 Nov 2015 16:11:15 GMT

It's not your fault that the other driver hit the cat. You did waht you could and more than what many people would do, in trying to find medical care for it. If the cat only had a broken hip or leg they can do surgery and repair it. I once hit my own dog that ran right in front of my truck coming out of no where. He had surgery and was fine. If anything at least the cat didn't die a slow painful death. I'm so sorry you had that happen.