Hurt/dead cats on the road

kef33890

TCS Member
Thread starter
Young Cat
Joined
Sep 25, 2022
Messages
46
Purraise
53
I just wanted to see if anyone has any harrowing stories or success rescuing a cat that has been hurt on the road? It tears my heart in half to see a dead cat on the road! Years sgo I seen an unfortunate kitty that had been hit and killed on a street and it still traumatizes me and saddens my heart. The poor thing was dead and looking into your eyes as you drove by. Haunting and sad!
 

Furballsmom

Cat Devotee
Staff Member
Forum Helper
Joined
Jan 9, 2018
Messages
39,270
Purraise
53,927
Location
Colorado US
A year or so ago, I saw an adult sweetheart, --a gorgeous cat, that had been hit and killed in the middle of an intersection, and her eyes were open as well. I called to have her body picked up, hoping her family hadn't seen her.

A youngster, maybe four months, had been grazed by a tire and was on the side of the street, initially in shock with a dislocated shoulder. Then the shock wore off, and this one was totally feral. It was honestly completely humbling to see this small hurt creature giving us all heck, hissing at us, trying to climb a tree, and generally making things quite challenging. We'd never have caught her if she hadn't been injured. She was at extreme risk because where she ended up was along a dog walkers' path, so it was lucky that I saw her when I did.
 

iPappy

TCS Member
Staff Member
Forum Helper
Joined
Jun 1, 2022
Messages
5,051
Purraise
15,784
I just wanted to see if anyone has any harrowing stories or success rescuing a cat that has been hurt on the road? It tears my heart in half to see a dead cat on the road! Years sgo I seen an unfortunate kitty that had been hit and killed on a street and it still traumatizes me and saddens my heart. The poor thing was dead and looking into your eyes as you drove by. Haunting and sad!
If I go to town and see a cat hit on the road, I come home an alternate route and stick with that route for a week or more...even if it's more out of the way and takes me longer. I hate seeing anything hit, but a cat really bothers me.
One day I was at work (I work from home/live at work, so I hadn't been near the road that day) and a customer I knew well came in and told me that there was a cat hit at the end of our driveway. I was worried it was one of our ferals, so I asked him what he/she looked like and he described one of the cats we were feeding. I was crushed. He was kind enough to get her off the road and wrapped up in a blanket so we could bury her without me having to see the damage. That was very sweet of him.
This summer, I left to go to town for something and halfway down the road I saw a heap in the road and thought it was one of our cats. I took an alternate route and texted my Mom and told her I thought one of the outdoor cats had been hit. When I returned home an hour later, the body was gone. Mom and I were both depressed for the rest of the day, until she texted me that evening and said the cat that apparently got hit was in the barn, alive and well. Turns out, it was a possom that had been drug off the road by vultures. I felt bad for the possom still.
 

iPappy

TCS Member
Staff Member
Forum Helper
Joined
Jun 1, 2022
Messages
5,051
Purraise
15,784
Keep thinking there must be something communities can do: petition for slower speeds? I do know they are more and more making new tunnels and even overpasses filled with trees just for wildlife.
Our lane to the business has a few potholes. We're leaving them. If it's well paved, people floor it and act like it's the Indy 500, despite it being a property with homes and barns, and at least this way it slows them down. A few people have complained and I just tell them "Guess you ought to slow down."
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #8

kef33890

TCS Member
Thread starter
Young Cat
Joined
Sep 25, 2022
Messages
46
Purraise
53
Keep thinking there must be something communities can do: petition for slower speeds? I do know they are more and more making new tunnels and even overpasses filled with trees just for wildlife.
That's a good idea. Slower speeds would be overall beneficial and not only save the lives of our furry friends, but people as well. It saddens me to say, some grotesque...devils... purposefully hit cats if they see them.
 

Furballsmom

Cat Devotee
Staff Member
Forum Helper
Joined
Jan 9, 2018
Messages
39,270
Purraise
53,927
Location
Colorado US
Use that link I posted above to report any road killed animal. That data can be useful to communities.
 

Margot Lane

Kitten at heart, not a Top Cat
Top Cat
Joined
Oct 24, 2021
Messages
4,368
Purraise
8,959
For a country road once, I hand made a bunch of cute reflective signs that said “I pause for paws.” it worked, for a summer. Then one by one they disappeared. Perhaps a more authorized project could be done through the local schools….Bumper stickers? There are many environmental groups trying to get those wildlife bridges built and they seem to be working. I know I always slow down when I see those black ”speed checker” wires across the road…perhaps you could encourage authorities to put some in, unless you are talking freeway. Anyway, it always feels better to try to be proactive, even if you only save one cat! Good luck!
 

FeebysOwner

TCS Member
Staff Member
Forum Helper
Joined
Jun 13, 2018
Messages
22,429
Purraise
33,188
Location
Central FL (Born in OH)
I have seen way too many dead cats on the side of the road and read about many, many more on FB Pet pages, as well as Next Door Neighbor.

I am sure there are those who won't appreciate my perspective, but in the spirit of sharing personal opinions - and nothing more, here goes.

The real resolution is for folks to stop treating cats like they are a semi-domesticated animal that should be 'free to roam' and come back to their caretakers for a bite to eat here and there. Or even those who think it is OK for their cats to be out all day to come home to the securities of a home at night. By far less people treat their dogs like that, and it is much less tolerated for those that do. So, it is an unfortunate matter of forever trying to educate people to understand that cats deserve the same protections, care, and security as dogs. Yes, most dogs can be allowed to roam in the confines of a fenced in yard - the equivalent to this for cats is a cat enclosure/catio.

If it isn't suburban areas with high vehicle traffic, then it is rural areas where there are far too many predators that do the same 'damage' as the vehicles do. No amount of signage to encourage folks to slow down on roads will ever be the answer - it is just about as effective as placing signage in rural areas telling the coyotes/wolves/etc., not to kill/eat cats.

As I said, just my opinion and nothing more...
 

fionasmom

Moderator
Staff Member
Moderator
Joined
Jun 21, 2014
Messages
13,114
Purraise
17,349
Location
Los Angeles
If it is any consolation at all, most cats that you see in the road, already deceased, died very quickly. Not saying at all that it is a good thing, but the ones who are suffering are those who are injured and have dragged themselves off someplace or are frantically trying to get up and find some final safety. Those are the ones who really upset me and whether or not anything can be done depends entirely on the circumstances. I have seen a few horrendous animal injuries on LA freeways which I am not going to describe and which I have remembered for years.

I agree that no pet cat should be outside....ferals are entirely another issue and by their nature cannot be adopted or protected. Just last week the LA Times ran an article which lead with the story of a woman who saw her pet cat, Milkshake, killed in the early hours of the morning (on her doorbell camera) by a coyote. She was furious. The response of readers was so overwhelming that the editors had to put a statement in the paper a few days later which basically said that no one felt sorry for her. A few letters which were published called her out specifically for not protecting the cat. The story was a lead in to the movement south of LA to begin killing coyotes in large numbers.

I am not squeamish and when I see a dead animal I try to remove it to the side of the road, if safe and possible, and call AC to come and get it. In a few cases of a weekend holiday where they were not available, I have taken the cat to my vet.
 

Cat McCannon

TCS Member
Super Cat
Joined
Mar 28, 2021
Messages
919
Purraise
2,233
I have seen way too many dead cats on the side of the road and read about many, many more on FB Pet pages, as well as Next Door Neighbor.

I am sure there are those who won't appreciate my perspective, but in the spirit of sharing personal opinions - and nothing more, here goes.

The real resolution is for folks to stop treating cats like they are a semi-domesticated animal that should be 'free to roam' and come back to their caretakers for a bite to eat here and there. Or even those who think it is OK for their cats to be out all day to come home to the securities of a home at night. By far less people treat their dogs like that, and it is much less tolerated for those that do. So, it is an unfortunate matter of forever trying to educate people to understand that cats deserve the same protections, care, and security as dogs. Yes, most dogs can be allowed to roam in the confines of a fenced in yard - the equivalent to this for cats is a cat enclosure/catio.

If it isn't suburban areas with high vehicle traffic, then it is rural areas where there are far too many predators that do the same 'damage' as the vehicles do. No amount of signage to encourage folks to slow down on roads will ever be the answer - it is just about as effective as placing signage in rural areas telling the coyotes/wolves/etc., not to kill/eat cats.

As I said, just my opinion and nothing more...
I give out few LIKEs, but you earned this one. There's a road near my house I drive everyday to work. I see at least one dead cat a month, usually within the same 100 yard stretch. There's a grey tabby laying out there right now that looks to be all of nine months old.

We can reduce speed limits and build all the wildlife bridges we want, but cats will continue to be killed by automobiles. The surest way to save our cats is to not allow them outside unsupervised.

If my kids were playing the street, I wouldn't be yelling at drivers to slow down. I'd be yelling at my kids to stay the &%$@ outta the *&$^ing street!
 

tiggerwillow

TCS Member
Super Cat
Joined
Sep 6, 2022
Messages
713
Purraise
1,315
I remember seeing a young tabby and white cat on the side of the road one time, when I lived in Lincolnshire, the poor cat looked young and looked like he or she had tried to get out of the road, but was not able to get to safety. It broke my heart.
 

Antonio65

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
Feb 27, 2017
Messages
6,049
Purraise
9,665
Location
Orbassano - Italy
I just wanted to see if anyone has any harrowing stories or success rescuing a cat that has been hurt on the road? It tears my heart in half to see a dead cat on the road! Years sgo I seen an unfortunate kitty that had been hit and killed on a street and it still traumatizes me and saddens my heart. The poor thing was dead and looking into your eyes as you drove by. Haunting and sad!
I saw so many dead cats on the road, hit and killed, so many that I can't even count them.
What I usually do is stop my car, get out of the car and walk to the poor body and remove it from the road, lay it on the side of it to prevent other cars from butchering it further.
Then I take one or more photos of the poor cat. I can't allow him to be forgotten, I think that they deserve the right of at least being remembered through a picture, even if their aspect may be not perfect anymore.
Then I call the city council to have the body removed, and I make sure they do it.

On a very few occasions it happened that I knew the cats and their owners, so I had to give them the bad news...

On a single occasion I found a derelict cat in the middle of the road, she was still alive. I picked her up, took her to the vet, had her cured, and then I brought her home where she stayed a few days before she died.
 

iPappy

TCS Member
Staff Member
Forum Helper
Joined
Jun 1, 2022
Messages
5,051
Purraise
15,784
We live in a rural area. Most people are really good about keeping their pets on their property. But for some, the mentality is "Well, if they didn't have enough sense to stay out of the road that's on them." Then I'm like, "Dude, would you turn your cattle out into an unfenced pasture then freak out when they wandered and got into trouble, and you lost money over it?"
There is no way in Hell I would let my cats or dogs free roam. There are too many dangers. I've seen Eagles sitting in the field 10 feet from my side door. These are my pets.
Unfortunately, we have unfixed ferals/half ferals that show up all the time. Mom and I both have households of cats and taking in a new adult isn't always an option. And good luck finding a home for an unknown adult cat of an unknown age when the shelters are usually full of cute kittens. So we TNR, feed them in the barn, and provide them with a nice place to stay with a steady food supply, and hope for the best.
 

Alldara

TCS Member
Staff Member
Forum Helper
Joined
Apr 29, 2022
Messages
5,276
Purraise
8,908
Location
Canada
iPappy iPappy when we lived on a farm (mum's side) we could not count the amount of "dumps" we had. The local Humane Society in Ontario costs $100 to surrender...no other rescues around at the time.

We ended up with a VERY out of control "barn cat" problem of inbreeding, and unvetted cats. We couldn't keep up with it.

We didnt loose any cats that we know of to coyotes or traffic. But we lost a lot to illnesses that could have been prevented if the area would have had more resources to help.

Once we got the funds and some financial help to get them all fixed, they were quite happy and content. We were able to keep with with veterinary costs. We rehomed many over the years.

It was a family farm so we lived "off" the property in an apartment while my grandparents owned one home and aunt and uncle owned another. Three families and we couldn't afford to vet the amount of cats dumped there, or the constant surrender fees.
 

iPappy

TCS Member
Staff Member
Forum Helper
Joined
Jun 1, 2022
Messages
5,051
Purraise
15,784
iPappy iPappy when we lived on a farm (mum's side) we could not count the amount of "dumps" we had. The local Humane Society in Ontario costs $100 to surrender...no other rescues around at the time.

We ended up with a VERY out of control "barn cat" problem of inbreeding, and unvetted cats. We couldn't keep up with it.

We didnt loose any cats that we know of to coyotes or traffic. But we lost a lot to illnesses that could have been prevented if the area would have had more resources to help.

Once we got the funds and some financial help to get them all fixed, they were quite happy and content. We were able to keep with with veterinary costs. We rehomed many over the years.

It was a family farm so we lived "off" the property in an apartment while my grandparents owned one home and aunt and uncle owned another. Three families and we couldn't afford to vet the amount of cats dumped there, or the constant surrender fees.
It's so easy to get overwhelmed. We're very lucky we have a good low cost clinic nearby and could at least keep the population from exploding, but get lax for a few months and you've got kittens, and a few months later, you have more and that's when inbreeding and serious health problems start. Even if you couldn't keep up with it, you tried. So many people would have just brought out the shot gun or drowned the kittens, but you did what you could.
I've been pleasantly surprised, it seems like the internet and the Cheezburger memes and the Grumpy Cats (RIP :hearthrob: ) and funny cat videos all over the place showed the world how funny and wonderful cats can be. 20 years ago there was a lot of "it's just a damn cat" sayings going around but it seems there's been a gradual shift towards more respect for them than there used to be. I hope that trend continues.
 

Meowmee

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
May 2, 2018
Messages
2,874
Purraise
3,605
I just wanted to see if anyone has any harrowing stories or success rescuing a cat that has been hurt on the road? It tears my heart in half to see a dead cat on the road! Years sgo I seen an unfortunate kitty that had been hit and killed on a street and it still traumatizes me and saddens my heart. The poor thing was dead and looking into your eyes as you drove by. Haunting and sad!
Years ago I saw a kitty who had been killed by a car by the side of the road. I picked up her body, and called shelters to report this, and then I dropped her off at DVM as I recall. I can’t remember what happened, it was really upsetting.
 
Top