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Original poster

To send the person who ran my cat over the vets bill?

121 replies

RaaRaaTheLion · 30/06/2015 22:11

Last night, my beloved cat was run over; We arrived home moments after it happened to find a crowd of neighbours in the street around her. The driver had sped off and was nowhere to be seen.
The nieghbours were fantastic and had already called ahead to the vets, even offering to look after DD if needed while we saw to our cat. We rushed her to the out of hours vets, where we were told 2 of her legs were broken, one of which would need amputating and the other setting in plaster, never mind the internal damage which had occurred. She had to be put on oxygen and have a catheter fitted. Had we proceeded, the cost of this would have been £800, plus rehabilitation for her learning to walk again. We decided the kindest thing to do would be to have her put to sleep, as she would have been miserable and myself and DP did not want to put her through more pain - for this, we had to pay out £135 for the treatment she had, the euthanasia and the cost of an out of hours very. We also had to take her home with us and ask my DM if we could bury her in their garden as we are currently renting; cremation would have cost another £100.

This morning, one of the neighbours stopped by to check in on the situation, but also to tell us that he had found the car who hit her, and the road name they live on which is less than a minute from our house.

Would it be unreasonable of me to knock on their door and present them with the vets bill, or at the very least leave a note on their windscreen? Be gentle with me, I loved the daft kitty and really wish we'd kept one of her litter, the last of which left us on Sunday.

OP posts:
Anon4Now2015 · 30/06/2015 22:32

Just to clarify my answer.....

I think there's a difference between legality and morality. Legally - as others have said - I think you probably have no rights at all. Morally I think if I hit someone's cat I would offer to to pay. And I would have stopped. If I'd have been the only person around I'd have taken the cat to the vets immediately so I'd have had to pay in those circumstances.

YUDOTHIS · 30/06/2015 22:32

You're all coming to an assumption that the cat ran in front of the car... Yes cats can be bloody idiots but we dont know if op's cat did that. all we know is the cat was on the pavement (where the car shouldn't be) and was hit on the pavement nothing about running in front of a car...

Original poster
RaaRaaTheLion · 30/06/2015 22:33

I don't know why they were on the pavement, as I said in my OP, we arrived home to find her having been hit. I have contacted the police; there is no CCTV in the area and although the neighbours are happy to be contacted, they said there is nothing much they can do.

OP posts:
BabyFeets · 30/06/2015 22:33

I'm sorry for your lose too, I had a cat run over but the girl who did it atleast came and apologised

fastdaytears · 30/06/2015 22:34

The pavement thing is very odd. Did any of the neighbours see the actual accident? Who drives on a pavement?

Sparklingbrook · 30/06/2015 22:35

If the car was driving on the pavement that may suggest it wasn't an accident and the cat hadn't run in front of the car. You would need to talk more to the witnesses, but may be difficult to prove.

brickinit · 30/06/2015 22:35

If a cat ran in front of my car, I would definitely stop to help the poor creature and take it to the vet.
But I would expect the cat's owners to pay for any treatment, especially if I was driving in a careful manner and wasn't exceeding the speed limit. It would not be my fault that I hit the cat.

But I have just read that the car and the cat was on the pavement..... I'm not sure who's responsible in that instance Confused

BabyFeets · 30/06/2015 22:39

The cat was on the pavement
The op just said
Question is why is the car driving on the pavement

TheFormidableMrsC · 30/06/2015 22:39

What has happened to your cat is absolutely awful and I feel so very sorry for you in that respect. I also think it is dreadful that the driver didn't stop. However, I have been that driver. My first time driving alone after I passed my test, a cat ran out in front of me, I had no safe way of stopping without hitting another vehicle and the cat was dreadfully injured and unfortunately not immediately killed. I was so shocked it took me a hundred yards or so to stop. I did then return to the scene only to have abuse shouted at me by two witnesses who suggested that I had hit the cat and "driven off". I was 17 years old and utterly distraught. The cat had to be put to sleep because of its' injuries. The next day, I took a large bouquet of flowers and a card to the lady who owned the cat, mainly because I didn't know what else to do. She was very kind to me about the whole thing. I spent so long feeling dreadful and apologising but the fact was, the cat ran out in front of my car and straight under the wheels. I couldn't have avoided it safely. Should I have paid the vets bill? No, I don't think so. Perhaps the driver panicked, perhaps they didn't even realise what had happened and shame on them if they did. I really am very sorry, it's a horrible thing to happen to anybody. Flowers

Wolfiefan · 30/06/2015 22:40

Bastards.
Sorry but our boy cat was hit by a car. I understand by law the driver isn't responsible but where is the humanity in leaving someone's loved pet to die by the side of the road.
So sorry for your loss.

BabyFeets · 30/06/2015 22:41

Have you tried calling the rscpa? They can forward things like this to police

Wolfiefan · 30/06/2015 22:42

Oh Formidable that's horrid. Unfortunately sometimes cats do run out in front of cars. It's awful but it's not always possible to avoid them. Your gesture to the lady was lovely. X

mimishimmi · 30/06/2015 22:52

I'm sorry but I definitely would not pay the vets bill for any animal I hit on the road unless it really was my fault in some way. They might not have even realised they hit a cat (it would just feel like a largish bump similar to a pothole). The cat may have been moved to the pavement after the accident.

Gileswithachainsaw · 30/06/2015 22:56

omg your poor cat.

However it occurred he should have had the decency to stop.

your neighbours sound amazing. what lovely people. I'm really sorry about your poor cat. how awful Sad

whois · 30/06/2015 23:05

Please claify if anyone actually saw the car mount the pavement and hit your stationary cat which was sitting on the pavement.

Or if people just saw the cat on the pavement aftereards and the car in the road driving off.

fastdaytears · 30/06/2015 23:07

Good question whois that's what I had assumed initially and I've seen that happen, especially if it's a fairly busy road.

Tried to give my cat a cuddle as this is such a sad thread and I want her to feel appreciated and now my hand is bleeding.

Original poster
RaaRaaTheLion · 30/06/2015 23:08

3 people can clarify that the cars wheel was on the pavement when my cat was hit, I'm sorry I didn't clarify that in my OP!

OP posts:
fastdaytears · 30/06/2015 23:11

That's awful. What is wrong with people.

Honestly though, if they are happy to drive on a pavement and didn't stop to find the cat's owner then they won't think twice about telling you to do one when you give them the bill which will probably be quite aggressive and not help you at all. Much better to move on and forget this driver.

Oh and maybe start a totally unrelated thread called "Are there any good ways to trash someone's car without them finding out it was you?"

mimishimmi · 30/06/2015 23:12

If she was on the pavement when hit, that means the car went out of it's way to hit her. I'd be going to the police in that case.

Lateswim16 · 30/06/2015 23:16

So very sorry op. Utter bastard.Flowers karma aye.

MadAboutMathsMum · 30/06/2015 23:19

Or the car swerved onto the pavement to avoid cat in road and cat swerved same way.
Should have stopped all the same.
However, your insurance presumably will cover the bill so no need to send to the driver.

SDTGisAnEvilWolefGenius · 30/06/2015 23:25

"Let them roam free, you takes your chances. This is what pet insurance is for."

I don't think pet insurance will cover the costs of having an animal put down, whois.

OP - I would definitely go round and leave a letter asking the driver why they didn't bother to stop to see to your poor cat - and the fact that they mounted the pavement makes it even worse. I'd hope they would have a shadow of conscience about this.

MemphisBella · 30/06/2015 23:27

I'm so sorry. That's so very sad.

Morally, yes, they should have stopped, and depending on their kindliness (and affluence) it would be a nice gesture for them to pay.

The fact that they didn't even stop though, combined with the pavement issue makes me think that you would be sadly wasting your time, and opening yourself up to a distressing and upsetting conversation. Sadly, I'd have to agree with PPs to let it go for now - but make sure that all the neighbours know who it was, so they can be aware of what they are like in case anything else happens to a neighbourhood cat.

About 10 years ago my DH accidentally hit and killed a cat that ran out in front of him - he was heartbroken. He took it to the house (country road, only one property nearby) and after a sobbing apology offered to pay for cremation; the family were obviously heartbroken, but declined. He still has dreams about it. Sad

DoughDoe · 30/06/2015 23:37

I really can't think of any reason why the car's wheel would be on the pavement?

Unless it was parking?

Can you not get a fuller description of what happened from the witnesses?

butterf1y · 30/06/2015 23:45

First of all, I'm so sorry for your loss. I have lost a beloved pet before and know how much it hurts. A cat ran out on the road in front of me and I ran it over - this was a good few years ago - and I was absolutely distraught. I stopped the car and a neighbour knew who the cat belonged to. This was a busy road and I was driving at a sensible speed but the cat ran out right in front of me and despite emergency braking I still hit it. I really can't tell you how upset I was - there was nothing I could have done and I still have flash backs. I sobbed in the middle of the road. If someone had tried to punish me for this I would be quite angry to be honest because I didn't choose to be put in that position and I wish that lovely cat hadn't lived on a busy road and had chosen my car to run in front of. I was already upset enough.

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