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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To not stop for a dead cat

247 replies

Myusername33 · 26/06/2021 21:37

I recently passed a very recently deceased cat at the side of a busy road when I was driving with my kids in the car, I didn’t stop because I wasn’t going to stop in a busy road and leave my kids sitting there while I picked up a dead cat. I later saw someone had put a post up about the dead cat on the local community fb page saying they had picked it up and taken it to the vet so the owner could be found but they were disappointed that not only had someone hit the cat and not stopped but also lots of people had driven past without stopping, the owner of the cat eventually appeared to say how devastated they were that someone had hit their beloved cat and not stopped.

Aibu to not stop and pick up someone else’s dead cat from the road? I actually think it pretty unreasonable to let your cat out to run around in the road and get annoyed at the person that hit it for not stopping, I’m sure they didn’t set out to run over the cat and it was an unavoidable accident. If I hit a cat I would stop if I could do it safely but my kids and my own safety would be a priority over someone else’s cat that shouldn’t have been on the road in the first place.

OP posts:
Iminaglasscaseofemotion · 26/06/2021 22:22

@StartingGrid

In fact further posts make you seem like a feeble snivelling snowflake. Stay home, you and everyone else's cats will all be safer. HTH.
You know OP didn't kill the cat, right? Or can you not read? I would imagine quite a few people drove by without stopping. It was a busy road. Why is it OPs responsibility. You buy a cat and let it roam, that's the chance you take.
yourestandingonmyneck · 26/06/2021 22:22

@Myusername33

It’s is absolutely the owner fault, and not the person that hit the cat or people who drove past it! That’s not goady, it’s a fact!
You sound dreadful.
anon12345678901 · 26/06/2021 22:22

I wouldn't stop for a dead cat I'm afraid, I'd put a post on our town Facebook group (if it was in our town) but wouldn't stop.

Sparklingbrook · 26/06/2021 22:23

@NichyNoo

It literally would not occur to me to stop if I drove past a dead cat. Just like I don’t stop when I drive past a dead fox/squirrel/badger.
The fox, squirrel and badger probably not anyone’s beloved pets TBF. Why would you stop for them? Who would you notify or return the body to?
Ibizafun · 26/06/2021 22:23

What exactly are you looking for here op, validation? If it was your children’s pet they adored and were frantically worried about, wouldn’t you be hoping someone would stop?

Sparklingbrook · 26/06/2021 22:24

You know OP didn't kill the cat, right?

I am starting to wonder TBH.

Username91 · 26/06/2021 22:24

I have never commented on here before but this has really annoyed me. What are you on about it’s the owners fault? Nobody takes their cat to a roadside and kicks it out to have a little run around, they obviously roam and unfortunately accidents happen. It’s not unreasonable not to stop if you feel like you can’t...but you’ve said you would have stopped if you had hit it so I’m not sure what you’re even trying to say? This post is pathetic and you sound like an absolute dickhead.

L123A · 26/06/2021 22:26

If you hit a cat of course you must stop, it might not be dead. A vet might be able to either save it’s life or put to sleep with less pain.

stayathomer · 26/06/2021 22:26

You were not being unreasonable not to stop but fair dues to the person who did! I once stopped the car and got out when I saw a kitten being knocked down. The driver would barely have felt it (I assume) and myself and my sons parked and ran to the vets which was around the corner. It was gurgling blood and so sad. When I rang to find out later they told me they'd put it down but it had died in a nurse's arms in a soft blanket instead of on the road. The only thing is it's very telling you acting like it's the owner's/cat's FAULT for getting knocked down, very silly!!!

Myusername33 · 26/06/2021 22:26

@Username91

I have never commented on here before but this has really annoyed me. What are you on about it’s the owners fault? Nobody takes their cat to a roadside and kicks it out to have a little run around, they obviously roam and unfortunately accidents happen. It’s not unreasonable not to stop if you feel like you can’t...but you’ve said you would have stopped if you had hit it so I’m not sure what you’re even trying to say? This post is pathetic and you sound like an absolute dickhead.
I said I would stop if I had hit it and it was safe to do so, I wouldn’t feel obligated to put myself or kids in danger to do it.
OP posts:
Sparklingbrook · 26/06/2021 22:27

So what are you looking for with this thread OP? It’s all a bit weird.

purpleme12 · 26/06/2021 22:28

@Myusername33

I would pull over for my own cat too but I wouldn’t expect anyone else to do it. I would stop if I could do it safely but the only times I’ve ever seen one at the side of the road was this time when it would have been dangerous to stop and once I was running, I reported that one to the local cats protection league and the lady asked me if I could carry it to the vets.. 6 miles carrying a dead cat.. no thanks!
I would absolutely take a cat 6 miles to the vets if I saw it So that someone could know what happened to their cat and not be forever wondering... Priceless
Youdoyoutoday · 26/06/2021 22:29

I wouldn't stop on a busy road with my kids in the car for a dead cat, maybe if I was on my own but not with kids

Jazzy1814 · 26/06/2021 22:30

I drive home late at night as I work late shifts I often have cats dart across the road, haven’t managed to hit one yet but I have to admit if I hit one there is no way I’m getting out of my car in the middle of the night alone.

Username91 · 26/06/2021 22:31

And I’m sure nobody would find that unreasonable. Absolutely no need to then say it’s a cat owners fault if their pet gets killed because they have ‘let it’ run on a road. It makes you sound horrible. I’m not really sure what you are hoping to achieve from this post?

Myusername33 · 26/06/2021 22:31

@sparklingbrook I’m just wondering if it’s unreasonable to expect people to put themselves in danger to stop to pick up a a dead cat at the side of the road as I was recently in a situation where I didn’t stop as it wasn’t safe to do so and someone put up a Facebook post about the situation slating people that drove past the cat. I also wondered what people’s opinions were on the obligation to stop if you hit a cat.

OP posts:
Myusername33 · 26/06/2021 22:33

@purpleme12 I would have too if I’d had the car with me but i wasn’t going to finish my run carrying a dead cat.

OP posts:
Sparklingbrook · 26/06/2021 22:33

[quote Myusername33]@sparklingbrook I’m just wondering if it’s unreasonable to expect people to put themselves in danger to stop to pick up a a dead cat at the side of the road as I was recently in a situation where I didn’t stop as it wasn’t safe to do so and someone put up a Facebook post about the situation slating people that drove past the cat. I also wondered what people’s opinions were on the obligation to stop if you hit a cat.[/quote]
Mmm. That’s not really coming across in your posts sadly.

D0D0 · 26/06/2021 22:36

@CuteOrangeElephant

I once hit a cat on the motorway, after it had been hit by another car, in the middle of the night. It staggered off towards the hard shoulder, I didn't stop.
And you posted that why? You almost seem proud given the vivid description you’ve painted.
Riverrushing21 · 26/06/2021 22:36

No way would I stop on a busy road for something that’s already dead. Yes it’s sad for the owner, but not worth risking a child’s safety over.

If I had hit the cat, I would feel awful but still only stop if it was safe to do so. Stopping suddenly in busy traffic or temporarily blocking a busy road by pulling over could potentially kill a human, which would be far worse.

Myusername33 · 26/06/2021 22:36

@Username91

And I’m sure nobody would find that unreasonable. Absolutely no need to then say it’s a cat owners fault if their pet gets killed because they have ‘let it’ run on a road. It makes you sound horrible. I’m not really sure what you are hoping to achieve from this post?
So who is at fault if a cat gets hit on the road? In most cases not the driver.
OP posts:
purpleme12 · 26/06/2021 22:36

I don't think I should have come on this thread. I'll go off now

SupermanInk · 26/06/2021 22:37

Attention seeker alert. 🚨

Rob87 · 26/06/2021 22:42

‘In most cases not the driver’

How could you possibly know that??

Whattfit · 26/06/2021 22:42

Struggling to imagine how utterly dangerous the road was where you couldn't pull in safely at any point to help but were driving slowly enough to spot a cat and get all this attention?

Sounds better to say you absolutely couldn't stop though for the safety of the children.
Goady thread indeed.

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