My cat has just been run over .... do I tell my 2.10 year old?

[bodiddly]

One of our cats was run over this morning and killed outright ... do we try and find a way of explaining this to our ds or leave it until he asks where she is. He is closer to our other cat but will definitely notice she is missing. We had only had her a year and are now faced with a decision as to whether to keep just one cat for fear of another one being run over as we live on a pretty busy road (but the remaining cat cries and howls when left on his own at night which was our main reason for getting the second cat in the first place if I am honest) or whether to replace straight away. Any ideas?

yes but he probably wont understand - might help with road safety iykwim. Sorry your cat died - perhaps a rescue kitten after christmas might be nice there are always loads in need of a good home - I'd wait till your tree is down though!

I wasn't sure whether to try and explain so he understood or be vague and say she has gone to heaven etc. Don't want to freak him out too much. We will have a howling cat in the meantime though as my other cat used to cry all night long until we got her! nightmare.

Oh no

I'd probably go with the heaven option, TBH. And if you get another one, say that she has sent this new cat to keep your DS company.

Sorry to hear this bodiddly, I've lost cats this way, it's horrid.

thanks tenlordsalapin ... this is the second cat we have lost on our horrible horrible road ... that is why I am loathe to get another as I hate to put them in this situation. Saying that my other cat doesn't usually go out the front much as we have a very big back garden. He will probably pine away if we don't find him some company.

Would it be worse/ wrong to tell him how fickle cat loyalties are and maybe he has found a 'different' home?

I'm not generally a believer in lying to dcs but as it's so close to Christmas........?

On the other hand you can guarantee that someone will turn round within earshot and ask you how he coped.....so maybe not a good idea.

Really sorry about puss though, horrid thing to happen.

oh no, poor kitty!

No advice but am very for you all.

How horrid, I know how cats can become so special to a family.

I don't know what I'd do if one of ours was killed tbh, DS is the same age as yours, and I'd probably lie and say he got stuck in Santa's sleigh or something, but we have a DD whois 7, so she probably wouldn't believe it.

sorry to hear this.

I wondered about that Wisteria but thought it might be a bit like something from an episode of Friends where Phoebe had always thought her dog had gone away to live on a farm in the countryside! I think we will have to wait and see if he notices ... our most pressing concern is the other cat as we had a dreadful time before we got this cat with him keeping us up all night howling and crying. Oriental cats make soooo much noise!

TinyTim ... I was laughing at getting stuck in Santa's sleigh .. but that is probably enough to put him off Father Christmas for life!

How sad. Not sure what I'd tell DS (2) if something like that happened to one of our cats as he'd be pretty upset.

I think I'd try and tell him the truth though (if not maybe all the details) as (a) he might overhear someone else talking about it (b) it gives him a definite answer so he doesn't hope it might come back and (c) it's the truth. TBH although the truth will probably be upsetting for him (e.g. cars are now things that kill cats) just saying that the cat died randomly and went to heaven is pretty bloody scary in itself, I mean, from his perspective, what's to stop the other cat suddenly dying like that?

I'd definitely get another cat, especially if the other one is miserable on its own - like another poster said there will be rescue cats looking for homes for Christmas. Maybe try a slightly older cat who's less keen on going outside so much (they're always harder to home). Take DS along with you so he can help choose. Maybe say something along "the other cat would have wanted a new cat to keep the other one company to stop it being sad and would have wanted you to help choose" (bit twee, but hey they're only 2)

Really sorry about your cat though - so sad when that happens.

thank you everyone ... will talk to dp this evening and work out how to tackle it but I think what you are saying makes sense. I like the idea of taking ds along to pick a new cat though cestlavie - we took our other cat last time too!