To think cat owners are unreasonable for insisting that drivers MUST stop if they hit a cat?

[OtterlyMad]

Some of the people on my town’s Facebook page lose their minds when a cat is killed by a car. It’s automatically blamed on speeding (despite there being no evidence of this) and there are always lots of comments along the lines of how “disgusting” it is that the driver didn’t stop and make the owner aware.

None of them seem to appreciate that the driver might not have time to track down the owner. For example, perhaps they are on their way to work, a job interview, wedding, funeral, court, airport, hospital, dentist, client meeting, school pick up, etc. Plus cats can wander quite far and don’t all wear collars so tracking down the owner could be a real challenge - even more so if driver isn’t local to the area!

Obviously it’s devastating for people to lose their pet in this way (I’m an animal lover and have owned pets all my life so I get it) but surely this is a known risk of allowing cats to roam freely? And owners accept that risk because they feel it gives their cat a better quality of life, even if that means their life is shorter as a result?

My locals are now campaigning to make it law that drivers who hit a cat must not only stop and find the owner, but also HAND OVER THEIR CONTACT DETAILS. To do what with?! So the cat’s owner can give the driver grief and/or demand compensation they’re not entitled to???

Am I the only one thinking this is ludicrous?

You are being unreasonable - drivers should be required to stop, track down the owner of the cat and hand over their contact details.

You are not being unreasonable - injury/death by vehicle is a sad but accepted risk of cats having the right to roam so drivers should not be required to stop.

I once hit a cat on the motorway at 1am. No way was I going to stop.

Locating the owner though, thats not reasonable - thats for the vet to do, via the microchip and if the cat isn't chipped, thats on the owner!

From June all cats have to be chipped by law, indoor or out. It would be great if we could scan pet chips with our phones.

Excellent point.

No it doesn’t. It says:

If you’re worried about the health of the cat, call the RSPCA on its emergency number 1234 999 0300 1234 999 (UK). If the cat is injured, take it to your nearest veterinary practice immediately. Vets have a duty of care to treat sick and injured animals and will help an injured stray cat at no cost to the finder.

I assume you walk everywhere so as not to contribute to the many millions of native wildlife killed on our roads every year by motorists.

You have lovely manners, I see. Laws do change all the time, but no one here has suggested that driving (wrt emergency braking) laws should be any different.
I won't engage with someone who lacks a moral compass anymore.

You should keep your own animals secure and not allow them to roam then, practice what you preach. Round here there’s tons of foxes that are a much bigger danger to wildlife than cats.

I don't think they should have to give details. They're not responsible for costs or anything, you take the risk allowing cats to roam. I do think they should have to stop if it's safe to and if possible I'd take the cat to the nearest vets. I wouldn't just leave it there to die.

Sorry, how is that relevant to people failing to be responsible for a domestic pet? Wildlife has a right to be wild, hence it’s called wildlife. Invasive species should not be allowed to mingle with said wildlife.

FWIW I haven’t ever hit and killed any animal. But still unsure of the relevance 👍🏻

They are secure on my property, not roaming 🤦🏻‍♀️

No idea where “round there” is, but I’m not there!

Foxes are native predators so are part of the ecosystem. Cats are not, and the kill for fun not food.

Very convenient that the tone policing started once you got backed into a corner!

Anyway, your idea was irredeemably fuckwitted and you clearly have no understanding of the consequences that would flow from it. Get into contact with reality.

That's usually not true. Domestic animals occur in much denser populations than would naturally occur. Domestic cat numbers don't drop as prey numbers drop, so they can wipe out prey populations, in a way wild predators can't.

I take as I find. I’m not the one intentionally putting animals at risk, causing nuisance and upset to others then arguing that that behaviour is acceptable. Anyone who does is incredibly selfish, yes.

I know a difficult concept to get your head round. Bless.

Cool it, you two. I've reported these posts.

Indeed, but if a law were implemented where people were expected to make amends when they'd run one over, the reality is that it would become more likely.

You shouldn't need a law to act like a decent human being.

Yeah, sorry, combining two completely different situations into one argument is something that logical people don’t really go along with. Maybe it’s different on whatever planet you’re from.

Thanks mum 😆

I don't know why people on this post are being so weirdly extreme?

• Most of the time you are not driving to the airport or a job interview.
• The decent thing to do if you hit a cat is to stop if it's safe to do so, check if the cat is alive and, if practical, take it to a vet OR at least move it to a prominent position at the side of the road.
• Obviously you wouldn't be able to do that on a motorway and literally no one is suggesting you should. Jesus wept.

Just to be clear, you think breaking or swerving to avoid an animal, despite the rules of the road suggesting you shouldn't, is required in order to qualify as a decent human being?

Exactly. My pet contained on my property shouldn't be at risk from your pet!

Also, please don't bring up foxes. Foxes don't usually steal pets from within a house. Cats do.

I wouldn’t worry. Humans have already wiped out 60% of animal populations since 1970, and another million are on the verge of extinction.