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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to be ignoring the fact there is a dead cat outside my house?

43 replies

inandouttheeagle · 24/05/2011 13:32

Pretty black and white but dead cat is on the road directly outside our house. we live in a terrace. we didn't run it over, there's a lot of parked cars on our street. could've been anyone. think it's been there all night...

can't face picking it up. don't want DCs to see it though.

What is the form in these situations???

OP posts:
Joolyjoolyjoo · 24/05/2011 13:35

the best thing to do would be if you could wrap it up and take it to a vet, so they could check for an ID chip. I know its not your responsibility, but some poor family could be frantically searching for their wee pet. If you can't bear to pick it up, you could possibly phone the cleansing department and see if they will remove it

Sad Sad

ghosteditor · 24/05/2011 13:36

could you not at least call the local vet, blue cross, or RSPCA to inform them, so that anyone who is looking for a black and white cat can be told that one has been found?

Also you can call the council as the street sweepers are responsible for cleaning up. They don't check for collars/ microchips though so the poor owners (assuming it's not a stray) will remain in the dark about it.

I would be gutted if my felines were missing and it's horrible not knowing that something like that has happened.

So yes, YABU Hmm

Vallhala · 24/05/2011 13:51

What Ghost said.

I rescue all manner of live creatures but can't touch dead ones, even if my own cats are responsible. I wait til DD1 comes home! However there is no reason why if under your circumstances I couldn't cover the cat, call local vets etc to see if a report has been made to them of a missing cat and then call the local environmental health department for help.

The council may claim that they can't help but it's a hygiene issue so they should. If all else fails call the dog warden and chat them up, asking them to collect and assist.

RunforFun · 24/05/2011 13:56

Oh please do call the vets and put the message out.

Can you put it on a spade or something ?

Is it wearing a collar ? When my cat was run over a neighbour came round to let us know. There was only me in the house and I was only about 14 and burst into tears. I dont think he knew what to do as he was only a few years older than me Blush.

But still to this day I am glad he plucked up the courage to do this.

BettySwollocksandaCrustyRack · 24/05/2011 14:01

There is a department at your local council that will deal with that. I call them when I see a dead cat or indeed if a fox is there for ages.

Phone them, describe the cat and they will try and locate the owners as hopefully they will have registered him as missing. They will also come and collect him too.

Does he have a collar - might be a number on there!!

Dont ignore him, he is someones baby, someone is looking for him as we speak.

My cat got run over years ago now on a busy main road near where we live, and a chap took off her collar which had our address on and came and told us....I was so glad or we would never have known.

unclefester77 · 24/05/2011 14:16

the council cannot scan him though - only a vet can. Get someone who can bear to to slide cat onto a board/box lid and drive it to a local vet - they can then scan and if there is no chip and they are a nice vet like mine they will probably cremate the poor thing for you. Don't let someone suffer when you could bring them the news that will give them some closure....

juicychops · 24/05/2011 14:16

i found a dead cat once. i called RSPCA to report the details incase a missing cat gets reported, then i was advised by RSPCA to call the council as it is aparently illegal (or some health and safety rule) to touch a dead animal that you find.

i called the council and was put through to the correct dept. i described where the cat was and they said they would send people out to collect it. It would be then checked for micro chips/collars etc and the owners tracked down if possible

notnowbernard · 24/05/2011 14:26

Please call RSPCA or similar

It was me searching 4w ago for mine... some kind soul had found him and 'dealt' with him and then responded to my poster. Lovely man

The thought of him lying dead and people knowing this but not bothering to do anything makes me feel awful Sad

At least I know what happened to mine Sad

BettySwollocksandaCrustyRack · 24/05/2011 14:50

The council will liase with the rspca etc to see if anyone has reported him missing..........they will do all they can although obv harder without chip etc.

Original poster
inandouttheeagle · 24/05/2011 15:38

have called council who say they will help but don't know how long they will take. now the local feral dog is sniffing around...

we live in a town with multiple vets, I'm not sure they'd help anyway, they're not a public service.

one of my reasons for ignoring initially is the hope that the owners would come looking and find it. when the council move it they may never know. I don't know who the cat belonged to.

hopefully council along soon.

OP posts:
ScousyFogarty · 24/05/2011 15:44

inandout.

Perhaps someone nearby owned it.

juicychops · 24/05/2011 15:49

could you not stick up a note on a wall/tree outside your house just to say a cat was found xxx date and a description etc?

juicychops · 24/05/2011 15:50

i meant once the cat has been removed

Original poster
inandouttheeagle · 24/05/2011 15:52

probably, but I've not seen it before and we are in a high density town centre terrace.

have spoken to neighbour but she just drove off in tears because she couldn't bear it (the cat isn't hers, and she doesn't know whose it is either)

OP posts:
beesimo · 24/05/2011 18:21

This can either be the day you got all upset about a dead cat or this could be the day you did something amazingly kind for the dead cats owner.

I know it will be hard for you but as soon as you have read this -don't think about it or you won't do it, find a clean box or bucket get a towel go outside wrap over the cat in the towel lift it and put it in the container. It may make you heave and vomit but so what there are times when you have to push yourself at this is one of them.

It is indecent to leave a dead animal in the street and imagine how someone would feel if they saw their beloved pet lying in the gutter. Set to and get on with it.

Vallhala · 24/05/2011 18:37

"It is indecent to leave a dead animal in the street and imagine how someone would feel if they saw their beloved pet lying in the gutter"

Compassionate words, Beesimo, with which I very much agree.

zukiecat · 24/05/2011 18:42

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

280169 · 24/05/2011 18:45

yes iagree with beesimo, compassion is needed,at least cover the poor thing over

Mishy1234 · 24/05/2011 18:47

I agree, if you possibly can please do as beesimo suggests.

Years ago my Dad found a neighbour's cat dead in our garden. It turned out they were on holiday (another neighbour had been going in to feed it). We took the collar off and Dad buried it in our garden (we didn't know where would be ok to do it in their garden). They returned over a week later and made Dad dig it up and move it to a grave on their property. A bit boak worthy, but he did it just the same.

peeriebear · 24/05/2011 18:51

Do go and wrap it up poor thing :( I saw a dead black and white cat once while taking DD1 to school, I didn't say anything but then went back and wrapped it in a towel. I went knocking on every door I could in the area for hours to see if anyone knew of a missing cat. Nobody claimed it so it's buried in my garden under a bush.

wheresmywaist · 24/05/2011 18:53

You can also put RTA's on MYMOGGY -It's horrible not knowing what has happened to a lost pet :(

ApocalypseCheeseToastie · 24/05/2011 19:04

Oh this has reminded me of the time I was walking to school I bent down to stroke a cat lying on the pavement and it was dead !! I was only about 8 and so traumatised my mum kept me at home for the day. Hope it's moved soon op

NulliusInVerba · 24/05/2011 19:37

Its disrespectful to leave it out laying there.....and a ferral dog? Uh.

Please have a heart and go move the poor thing. Somebody could run over it again. Imagine if it was your pet you found in that condition.

Plus, there may be children around and would you want your child finding that? Perhaps even picking it up? No.

deepbluewave · 24/05/2011 19:41

Can I just inject something to lighten this post!

My little kitty, whom I adore, has just curled up at the bottom of my laundry basket..

CUTE!

ClaireDeLoon · 24/05/2011 19:43

The vet will may well send someone out for it. I found a dead cat and I wrapped it in a blanket, put it in a box and called the vet, they didn't have anyone spare but were happy for me to take it to them so they could scan, if no chip they would contact all vets in the area. I have cats myself and couldn't bear the thought of them lying there. I cried and cried as I did it though it is very upsetting.

A year or so later I lost my own cat on the road and the next driver along stopped and knocked on doors, my neighbour came to let me know. Again I'm eternally grateful to the couple that stopped because small thing that it may be I couldn't have faced her lying there in the middle of the road with her body being damaged, at least she still looked perfect when I got her back.

Oh poor cat :(