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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To think you take a killed cat to the vets, not dump it on a grass verge

646 replies

CoastalWave · 07/01/2022 13:43

Post on FB says 'Found' a dead cat in the middle of the road. Couldn't do anything other than move it to the side as I was busy. " Posted the FB update five hours after doing this.

Cat had been moved about 4m from the road so quite a distance and was hidden from site (not quite sure even how they'd moved him the state he was in)

Poor thing was in a really bad way. I had to put my big girl pants on and take a lot of deep breaths before I dealt with him. I took clean towels and gave him a dignified trip to the vets.

No, I don't like picking up dead cats - particularly after losing one myself to an RTA. But AIBU to think that if you've got time to shift the cat, you've got time to take it to the vets to be scanned?? Or did they move it because they were the ones who killed it?!

Would you stop to take a deceased cat to the vets?

OP posts:
WindyState · 07/01/2022 16:28

If I hit a cat then yes, I would stop and take it to a vet.

Bit of a dick move not to, to be honest.

IamnotwhouthinkIam · 07/01/2022 16:29

While I wish people would OP - to get the pet microchip checked as you said (having had a cat go missing myself and still being devastated not knowing what happened to her). But the reality is most people would only put themselves out like that for an injured but still live cat (or dog, I'm not sure it makes much difference) - or at least I hope they would, out of basic compassion!

Whereas moving a dead pet to the side of the road and later making a local facebook post (and hopefully contacting the council too! as they are also supposed check microchips after picking up the body, which they do here as it counts as an environmental hazard) is a 5/10 min job and at least better than just ignoring it - unfortunately a vet could be up to an hour away if you live rurally or the person could already be late for an appointment. So I had to vote YABU, sorry.

PurpleDaisies · 07/01/2022 16:29

@WindyState

If I hit a cat then yes, I would stop and take it to a vet.

Bit of a dick move not to, to be honest.

That’s not what the thread is about. It’s finding a dead cat in the road.
I would absolutely take one I’d myself to a vet, or a live injured one.
PinkSparklyPussyCat · 07/01/2022 16:30

A similar thing happened to me @elfycat except I was driving home late at night and I saw a kitten in the middle of the road. I stopped and it started dragging itself further across. Considering how late it was I was surprised at the amount of cars that appeared and had to wait! I was about to pick it up when a police car pulled up, probably to find out what this idiot was doing in the middle of the road!

The police officer picked up the cat and put it on the verge but I said I couldn't leave it as it was injured so she put it in her car and followed me to the vet. I knew it wasn't going to make it but my Mum and I decided that if it did and no one claimed it we would have it. The next morning there was a note through the door from the police officer telling me the cat had died and thanking me for caring for it.

BlowDryRat · 07/01/2022 16:31

If I hit a cat or of I found and injured cat then I would take it to the vet.

I would call the local Cats Protection place if I found a dead one and would also post on the local FB page. I would move it out of the road but I wouldn't be carrying it around in my car or taking it to the vet.

chaosrabbitland · 07/01/2022 16:31

and a big thank you from me to the people like the op and others who have commented and done the kind empathetic thing . so at least there is a chance the cat if chipped can be identified and the poor owners who might be frantic about why it went out as usual and didnt come home will know , and not spend the next how many years wondering

LethargicActress · 07/01/2022 16:32

There’s no way in the world I’d pick a dead cat up off the road and put it in my car. I’m a bit miffed that anyone would expect other people to automatically do that.

Apart from anything else, I don’t routinely carry a load of old towels or anything else that could be used, so what are people supposed to do? Sacrifice their own clothes?

chaosrabbitland · 07/01/2022 16:33

@PinkSparklyPussyCat

A similar thing happened to me *@elfycat* except I was driving home late at night and I saw a kitten in the middle of the road. I stopped and it started dragging itself further across. Considering how late it was I was surprised at the amount of cars that appeared and had to wait! I was about to pick it up when a police car pulled up, probably to find out what this idiot was doing in the middle of the road!

The police officer picked up the cat and put it on the verge but I said I couldn't leave it as it was injured so she put it in her car and followed me to the vet. I knew it wasn't going to make it but my Mum and I decided that if it did and no one claimed it we would have it. The next morning there was a note through the door from the police officer telling me the cat had died and thanking me for caring for it.

thank you , at least it was not left to suffer and die cold and lonely , in pain , the vets would have given it loads of pain relief , i wish more people like you were considerate to animals
HappyAsASandboy · 07/01/2022 16:35

I picked up a dead cat from the road in our village. I got a box from home, picked him up with the aid of a binliner and put him on my driveway. I was fairly sure who it belonged to, so I went and knocked and they came and collected it.

If it hadn't been their cat, I'd have buried it in my garden with my pets. It wouldn't have occurred to me to drive it to a vets. We have loads of farm cats around; the chances of the cat being chipped is so small it wouldn't occur to me 🤷‍♀️

comfortablyfrumpy · 07/01/2022 16:35

@LethargicActress

There’s no way in the world I’d pick a dead cat up off the road and put it in my car. I’m a bit miffed that anyone would expect other people to automatically do that.

Apart from anything else, I don’t routinely carry a load of old towels or anything else that could be used, so what are people supposed to do? Sacrifice their own clothes?

My boot has always got old bags , old towels (I have dogs)or bits and pieces so I have never been stuck for something to put the poor cat in. I suppose there are times when being slovenly a bit messy can be handy.
CurtainTroubles · 07/01/2022 16:38

This reply has been deleted

Withdrawn at the user's request

godmum56 · 07/01/2022 16:42

[quote CurtainTroubles]@Megan2018 if you don’t want your cat to be hit by a car then don’t let them roam outside. If you don’t want a house cat then don’t get a cat. Your cat, left to roam freely, is your responsibility and not anyone else’s.[/quote]
this sorry but this

Megan2018 · 07/01/2022 16:43

This reply has been deleted

Message deleted by MNHQ. Here's a link to our Talk guidelines.

Bluebluemoon · 07/01/2022 16:43

I'm a cat lover but I still wouldn't pick up a dead cat I'm afraid. I'm really squeamish.
I'm not on SM or anything so I wouldn't think to try and "alert" people to the fact I'd seen a dead cat on the road - and I'd also think what's the point? It's unlikely the owners will be on there. I don't even think if you rang the local vets practice they would do anything.

Would you pick up a dead bird/squirrel/badger that was squashed on the road and take it to a vet? If not I think you're a bit of a hypocrite OP.

PurpleRainlnTheSky · 07/01/2022 16:44

It's a nice, kind thing to do, to see if said deceased cat is chipped and can be returned to its owner. But if someone DOESN'T do it, that doesn't mean they're unkind and thoughtless. Some people may fear getting disease of infection from it. Or are just freaked out at the thought of picking up a dead cat!

YABU @CoastalWave

daimbarsatemydogsbone · 07/01/2022 16:45

@Megan2018

People are bastards. I have had 2 cats left to die at the roadside. Fortunately on both occasions someone else took them in so we were notified. I just hope that there is some karma and the people that left them get left on their own to die themselves. Preferably slowly and painfully.
You don't know the circumstances.
icelolly12 · 07/01/2022 16:45

I didn't even know taking a dead cat to the vet was a thing?!

MrsGinnyM · 07/01/2022 16:45

I move wildlife to the side of the road. I would move a cat to the side of the road, check for a collar and ID tag and, if none, take it to the nearest vet to be scanned for a microchip. I think most families really, really do want to know about their poor cat. Increasingly, more and more cats will be microchipped now. I have never hit anything on the road, but living in the countryside I regularly have to stop to move wildlife when others have hit them and just driven off. No cats in all the decades we've lived here. It is easy to keep disposable gloves and bags in the boot of the car, although I wish we didn't have to. I can't stand to see animals left to be repeatedly run over like they're just nothing, just rubbish, or for someone else to have an accident by hitting the dead animal - this is a particular risk with the larger, heavier body of a badger or deer.

Sparklingbrook · 07/01/2022 16:46

@Bluebluemoon

I'm a cat lover but I still wouldn't pick up a dead cat I'm afraid. I'm really squeamish. I'm not on SM or anything so I wouldn't think to try and "alert" people to the fact I'd seen a dead cat on the road - and I'd also think what's the point? It's unlikely the owners will be on there. I don't even think if you rang the local vets practice they would do anything.

Would you pick up a dead bird/squirrel/badger that was squashed on the road and take it to a vet? If not I think you're a bit of a hypocrite OP.

Oh if you are missing a cat you would definitely be 'on there'. You would be on everything.
SockFluffInTheBath · 07/01/2022 16:46

YABVU to say the time to move a dead cat to the side of the road is the same as the time to take it to a vet Hmm

I saw a falcon on the side of the road once, wings wide open and rolling around. I wrapped it my coat and took it the vet. I’d do the same if I hit a cat or dog. If I came across an already killed one lay in the road I would move it so it didn’t get driven over and post in the local fb group.

Pugroll · 07/01/2022 16:46

No thanks, I don't fancy carting a dead cat around in my car. I don't judge people who don't have time to either, or perhaps see it when vets are closed.

GoLittleRockstar · 07/01/2022 16:47

I am so sorry you had to deal with that. You are a very kind and acting person. I am sorry for the loss of your own cat to at RTA too.

I hope that performing this act of service gives the cat dignity, it’s grieving owners some peace of mind and that it also helps you move ina little more with your own grief and sorrow.

Flowers
Bluebluemoon · 07/01/2022 16:47

Megan2018

I've reported your last post. I've not rtft and I'm very sorry your cats were killed but saying you hope someone dies is really unacceptable and frankly disturbing.

StellaGibson118 · 07/01/2022 16:47

Depends. Am I on the way to work and would get in trouble for being late? Then probably not. It would be very hard for me not to but the cat is dead and I need to get to work.

If I wasn't on the way to work or an appointment then of course.

Sparklingbrook · 07/01/2022 16:48

But if someone DOESN'T do it, that doesn't mean they're unkind and thoughtless

I totally agree with this. if you don't care then you don't care.

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