To ask what you think happened?? Just ran over a cat...

[meettherussians]

Was driving home after nursery pickups, 30mph, (fast flowing road/no pavements for parking/pulling over) I went round a bend, saw a cat seeming to hesitate by road, I slowed, it backed off the road away, I then started driving albeit more hesitantly again, it darted out suddenly as I drove over and I heard possibly the worst sound of my life- the crunch under wheels. I stopped in middle of road, all cars behind stopping too, deep breath as i got out preparing for the worst- nice driver behind said he's seen it run off and not to worry, I told him about the crunch, he said must have been the tail. I looked around, nothing, we then drove on...I pulled over where I could and sprinted back roadside looking for any clues or the poor poor cat...in a puddle I found a ball of fluff that looked like it could have been end of tail with some sticky thing could be cartilage hanging off it??

It was dark and wet so could literally have been fluff off someones coat with some stuff attached or- the cats tail. Does anyone have any ideas? I feel completely and utterly shit, so full of guilt and so worried about the cat. Is there anything else I can do?

No!

I've done this. Cat did the same to me. I was driving a 2.5t Land Rover and it must have been one life down as I knew I'd hit it, thud, but it ran off!

It was late, it was dark. I went looking for it but was long gone. I felt like shit too but what can you do? Put feelers out the next day but no one had a cat missing or injured. Tried my best.

As did you

Maybe pop back and have a look around? Local fb page if you are prepared to pay some vets bills?
Don't feel bad tho - if you had swerved the victims could have been human and several. .

Someone did this to my cat. Literally ran over her tail and pulled it off

She was fine although it was touch and go as tail pull injuries can effect the spine and nerves.

Hopefully the owner takes it to a vet but don't beat yourself up too much, cats do silly things and it really wasn't your fault

My cat got ran over (and died) when I was heavily pregnant and another one years before too (different area).
From my 2 experience, a lot of people don't even stop when the hit a cat (I don't think you have to when it's a cat but think you do if it's a dog). So I would say you have done more than some just by stopping.
Maybe see if you can go back and have a look round when it's light out.

Oh the cat will be fine.
Stuff like this happened every week to Tom from Tom and Jerry, and he was as right as rain by the next episode.

Thanks all, just feel utterly utterly crap. I love cats. The thought he/she is now scared and in pain is just horrendous. Just wandering if the tail would have looked like the "thing" I found in the puddle..so bizarre.

Peppa not legally obliged to stop for a dog since the dig license was scrapped years ago. .
Morally should tho.

You can't do anything else sadly,
It's just very unfortunate.
my cat has an injured tail at the moment, vet says it's not broken but he could have been run over, it happens

You poor thing, I bet you're shaken up.

You slowed down, you stopped, you looked for the cat. I don't see what else you could have done. Poor cat, hope it's ok. Why must the things run and hide when hurt/scared! Perhaps ask around on Facebook if anyone found an injured cat? But don't beat yourself up.

Piglet. Pathetic attempt at humour.

If the other driver saw the cat run off, that's a good sign. I've got a cat and you know, there's a reason they are said to have nine lives. They're ALWAYS getting into scrapes. Don't beat yourself up about it.