Page 8 | Cats and roads

BovaryX · 27/09/2020 06:54

Personally, I wouldn’t stop even if I did feel it was a safe area and time of day, I’m not going to be late for work/collecting my child/appointments when cat owners know the risk and still choose to take it, and I wouldn’t know how to handle an injured cat anyway. I’ve been known to help wildlife plenty of times where I can, but the fact that it’s a pet is what makes me feel I have less responsibility, not more

@NailsNeedDoing

Your post speaks volumes about you. None of it good.

Mariola321 · 27/09/2020 07:14

I see them everywhere in the city but also lots of dead. It’s horrible to keep cats by busy road. Saw one the other day with back broke I think. Clawing at the air like trying to run and lots of people just standing around. Felt sick seeing it.

Rebelwithallthecause · 27/09/2020 07:16

I have a cat and let him out in the day but I know the risks and do worry about him.

I would not own a cat living next to a busy fast road.

However I did lose a cat to a driver on a normally very quiet road

You can’t protect for every eventuality.

I’d love to keep him inside and know where he is at all times but that wouldn’t make him happy

I don’t blame car drivers through

Lolaloveslemons · 27/09/2020 07:31

YANBU
I have had cats shoot across the road in front of my car several times. They come out of nowhere and dart across.

One unfortunate cat did just that - I missed it by a millisecond and it was promptly hit by a car coming in the opposite direction.

It always amazes me when cat owners talk about the driver being at fault for killing their cat.
There was no way the driver that hit the cat I’m talking about could avoid it.

Also, I live on a quiet single track road and a cat often sits right in the middle of it. It doesn’t move immediately when I drive up and on a couple of occasions I have even had to get out of my car and shoo it away.

Absolute PITA.

Lolaloveslemons · 27/09/2020 07:36

@NailsNeedDoing

You would be wrong not to stop.
I am not a cat lover or animal lover for that matter but your post is awful.

As for dealing with the cat, I wouldn’t know what to do either as I don’t go near animals in general but I would definitely stop and get some help from someone or somewhere.

SuffolkNgood · 27/09/2020 07:36

To be honest drivers are to blame sometimes if they are going ridiculously fast on the road. It normally happens at night, when it's quieter on the roads and people drive like morons. However, as sad as it sounds (as a cat owner of 4) i think cats are a bit stupid like deers and just run out into the road. This is why i keep mine in at night, and believe everyone else should do the same if possible!!

Tumbleweed101 · 27/09/2020 07:38

I’ve got a 9yo cat and she only stays in the garden. We got another cat a couple of years ago and she got killed on the road when she was less than a year. My assumption is the first cat had her territory in the garden and the younger cat had to roam further. We won’t get another now, maybe once we lose the older cat but not til then.

WinchesForFinches · 27/09/2020 08:44

I think if you have a cat and it goes outdoors you have to accept the fact that it’s totally feasible that it could get run over. I had cats and when we moved to our new house although we have a very long driveway, I lost my favourite cat on the road. After the other one died of old age I decided never to have a cat again.

My parents have lived in the same village for 50 years and have always had cats. Only last year did they lose one to the road for the first time.

We actually have dogs now, and even one of them managed to get hit by a car in the main road, after the little arsehole escaped! (He’s ok now though, it was a number of years ago!)

Animals don’t have road sense. Especially cats! It’s kind of down to fate if they’re going to get hit or not and I think you just need to be realistic about it.

WhoLettheCatOut · 27/09/2020 14:44

We live on a 20mph road. One of our cats was killed on our road during lockdown. We've had cats 15 years and lived on busy roads without incident. Cars have been travelling on our quiet road during lockdown at speeds in excess of 50mph so I do think vehicles need to take more responsibility but I accept that where ever a cat explored outside there is a risk. Whilst on this occasion it was out cat who ran into the path of a speeding car it could easily have been a child or an adult.

Mariola321 · 28/09/2020 02:22

Saw a dead cat a few weeks ago and had strange thought that maybe would be better if could eat it like when kill a rabbit, so not died for nothing.

Anordinarymum · 28/09/2020 02:27

@AIMD

There’s a post on a local Facebook group about a cat being run over on a main road. There are lots of comments from people about how cars drive too fast and people should stop to take the car to the vet/comfort them. Of course I agree with car drivers sticking to the speed limit and that people should help animals who are hurt. If I hit I cat I would obviously stop and try to find the owner or seek help.

However there is no mention on the thread about pet owners being more responsible and maybe choosing not to have a cat as a pet if they live in an area close to very busy roads. The road/area mentioned was very busy/city centre area, where it would be hard for a cat to go anywhere without going across very busy roads.

I wouldn’t comment that on the thread because the pet owner is obviously upset and it is not the right place for that comment.

AIBU to think cat owners/breeders are also responsible for cats being hurt On the roads when they buy/sell cats into homes that are surrounded by very busy roads?

There’s been an obvious increase in cats as pets in my area over the last 19 years (not sure if people notice that elsewhere too) and an increase in cats/traffic. It’s a recipe for cats being hurt.

Do you have any idea how far cats travel from home when they are out and about ?.

You can live far from a main road. It does not mean your cat won't stray from home and visit new places, crossing roads you would not dream they would go anywhere near

year5teacher · 28/09/2020 04:42

My partner’s parents have lost like, three cats on their road.
I barely ever let mine out and we live on a very quiet road. Cats still get hit near us. I would literally never forgive myself if my boy got hit by a car.

newtb · 28/09/2020 04:58

Some cats won't be put off by pepper.

Our first one, a former stray loved both black cherry yoghurt and vindaloo curry made from nazir's pastes. She walked across the settee, over me, stuck her head over the plate and licked it before I could stop her.

The next to last one, a Moggy, never ever hunted, neutered when young, in a cattery she fluffed her fur, batted her eyelashes and called without a break for 2 weeks. She died of an aids type illness at 12 from a cat bite when she was 9.

The last one liked raw/cooked meatballs 500g of pork, 2 or 3 or 4 Indian dried chillies. Added dried parsley or lovage etc. She could put her paws on the work top. To get her to go away, I gave her some mixture. She loved it. Same with the cooked ones. She'd have killed her mother for roast chicken. Stupid though. Maine Coon. 11lbs of unconditional love for 20 years. She was an outdoor cat, you couldn't have kept her in. Jumped out of the landing window onto a flat garage roof, miaowed pitifully to be helped down to the back garden. In through the cat flap and same again. Until she got tired of the game.

Damage by dogs can be claimed under an all risks policy. They are recognised as trainable. Cats are legally regarded as wild animals from an insurance point of view and considered untrainable although never had one that didn't learn that no meant no.

I was originally a 100% dog person. I've been turned.

Okaro · 28/09/2020 06:20

Think owning a cat comes with the risk of it being run over if it’s allowed to venture outside.

Relative of mine bought a cat, was going to have it as a indoor car as they lived right on top of a dual carriageway. Well the cat had other ideas and was desperate to get outside. It was rehomed in the end as relative considered it just too dangerous for where they lived.

We have many cats run over round where I live, as roads are used as a race track. Never the 4 cats that ruin my garden though (of course not they are nice and safe in my garden)

Eng123 · 28/09/2020 06:42

Keeping cats is as ecologically unsound as driving a car. They kill wildlife, spread disease and crap everywhere. People moan about meat consumption - what do cats eat except birds and highly processed meat. I now expect the brigade of mumbling cat owners to be outraged!

SuffolkNgood · 28/09/2020 07:30

But then thats the same with humans 😂 kill wildlife, spread disease and waste everywhere. You imbecile! Ooh i expect the brigade of middle aged mumbling menopausal women to be outraged 😂😂😂

PhilSwagielka · 28/09/2020 14:23

@Eng123

Keeping cats is as ecologically unsound as driving a car. They kill wildlife, spread disease and crap everywhere. People moan about meat consumption - what do cats eat except birds and highly processed meat. I now expect the brigade of mumbling cat owners to be outraged!

Great b8 m8