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Original poster

Watching footage of people fleeing Ukraine with their cats

55 replies

drivinmecrazy · 10/03/2022 14:25

Watching footage of owners fleeing with their cats has got me thinking of my own and what we would do in that situation.

I'm not sure we could. Firstly carriers are so cumbersome and heavy. Secondly when and where would they go to the toilet?
I'm guessing most of these cats will be house cats because I just don't think there is anyway ours would tolerate that kind of journey.
But leaving them behind would obviously break our hearts.
Could you feasibly take your cats?
I know it's a rather flippant thought and not really consequential in the grander scheme of things

OP posts:
Want2beme · 10/03/2022 18:22

Puts me in mind of the the government directive during WWII, that all pets in UK be euthanised. Approx 2 million of them were PTS. I believe an apology was made when the war ended.

ofwarren · 10/03/2022 19:23

@SuperSocks

I don't get people suggesting they'd just leave them behind. Confused If you absolutely had to you would euthanise surely, otherwise they would come with you. If you love your pets you don't leave them to starve or be blown apart.

Euthanase how though? I can't imagine many vet surgeries are open in the middle of Kyiv right now.

ozymandiusking · 10/03/2022 19:33

I have had the thought, that assuming some of the refugees arriving here with their cats and dogs are going to have to put them into quarantine, ( unless the Govt. waiver it.) How are they going to afford it?
Most of them will have very little money.

Insanegotnobrain · 10/03/2022 19:39

It is so, so sad.
I’ve just seen this. Animals are being taken to a shelter in Poland. They will be rehomed but at least they will be safe. I’d be distraught if we fled our home and our nervous cat had dashed off to hide with all the noise.

vm.tiktok.com/ZMLf67CUT/

LaQuern · 10/03/2022 19:45

I couldn't leave my girl behind. If travelling with her really wasn't an option I'd stay behind with her and we'd take our chances.

My heart would break to leave her fend for herself

crackofdoom · 10/03/2022 19:53

I read a story some years ago about a Syrian family (mother and daughters) who fled Syria with their beautiful white cat. They crossed from Turkey to Greece in a little boat and, upon landing in Lesbos, the panicked cat ran off and disappeared. The heartbroken family gave up on her, but a few months later she was picked up as a stray, was discovered to have a microchip and reunited with her family, by then living in Sweden.

crackofdoom · 10/03/2022 19:58

Re the toileting...depends on the cat, I guess. If you can find a calm place for them and they're quite a chilled cat, hopefully you'd be able to let them out.

When I was moving house from London to Somerset, I stopped for a break in the middle of Savernake Forest in the middle of a beautiful moonlit night. On a whim I let my cat out of her box and we went for a little walk together. It could have gone horribly wrong, but she stuck close to me and it's one of my most precious memories of her (RIP).

Hellocatshome · 10/03/2022 19:58

I don't get people suggesting they'd just leave them behind. confused If you absolutely had to you would euthanise surely, otherwise they would come with you. If you love your pets you don't leave them to starve or be blown apart

There speaks a person who has never been in that situation and thankfully never have I but imagine you have mere minutes to get you, your kids, your elderly relatives, organised to leave and possibly never return. I am as much of a pet lover as the next person but in that situation I would most certainly let them fend for themselves. I dont for one minute imagine anyone who has fled the Ukraine is reading this but if for some reason they are or someone who has faced similar circumstances let's not make them feel worse than they already do about the decisions they made.

WellThatsMeScrewed · 10/03/2022 20:08

Had this discussion but about our dog.

The reality is could I sacrifice space on a bus/train for my dog over a human. Or food or water? The answer is no. He’s my life but he is still a dog. I would find a way to PTS in the most humane way. Bloody horrendous.

I wish this war was over. That we could just go back.

Stripyhoglets1 · 10/03/2022 20:14

One cat would probably be ok with us on a lead and with a bag to hide in when its too much. She's a nosy bugger so I think would be ok . Our really nervous scaredy cat would have to be euthanized as he'd be terrified travelling and I couldn't just leave him he'd never cope.
We don't have dogs but I'd not get my elderly dad to go anywhere without his dogs.

Ff10n · 10/03/2022 20:18

Mine is very old and frail. I couldn't leave her but she would hate the cold and discomfort of the journey. I would try to get her put to sleep before we left. It would be by far the kindest thing.
I couldn't finish her off myself though, if there was no vet to be found.

EveryFlightBeginsWithAFall · 10/03/2022 20:21

@SuperSocks

I don't get people suggesting they'd just leave them behind. Confused If you absolutely had to you would euthanise surely, otherwise they would come with you. If you love your pets you don't leave them to starve or be blown apart.
How exactly would you do that? Because I doubt they'd be vets hanging about to do it. Even if you did have time
AuntyBumBum · 10/03/2022 20:34

How exactly would you do that? Because I doubt they'd be vets hanging about to do it. Even if you did have time

This is the really awful question. There are ways to do it without a vet. Not ideal but for most cats it would be kinder than the alternatives.

Undecicive · 10/03/2022 20:43

@ozymandiusking

I have had the thought, that assuming some of the refugees arriving here with their cats and dogs are going to have to put them into quarantine, ( unless the Govt. waiver it.) How are they going to afford it? Most of them will have very little money.
My hope on this: they arrive to neighbouring countries, spend some time in quarantine, get a rabies vaccine and hopefully an EU passport and they could travel. IF the UK allows.
Undecicive · 10/03/2022 20:47

I'd defo take all my animals (except the chickens), like loads of people in Ukraine are. I've seen pregnant dogs and cats being moved, animals with newborns etc. More of a chance to survive. There are now lots of stray and abandoned animals in Ukraine, some on leashes as they got abandoned at train stations etc.

EveryFlightBeginsWithAFall · 10/03/2022 22:23

Well I couldn't kill him however humanly it could be done, although I'm not convinced how humanly it could be done without a gun, which isn't something I have. He'd have to take his chances in the wild

Furries · 11/03/2022 03:16

My boy hates the carrier. But he blooming loves me. I’d rather have him in the carrier, with me right by his side, than leave him to some unknown fate - I’d never forgive myself.

I haven’t got to the stage yet of prepping a “grab bag” - but if I did, it would definitely have his food and some Dreamies in it. It probably sounds daft/dramatic - but I’d rather we both “went” together rather than me wondering how he was while I tried to get to safety.

Furries · 11/03/2022 03:23

@crackofdoom

Re the toileting...depends on the cat, I guess. If you can find a calm place for them and they're quite a chilled cat, hopefully you'd be able to let them out.

When I was moving house from London to Somerset, I stopped for a break in the middle of Savernake Forest in the middle of a beautiful moonlit night. On a whim I let my cat out of her box and we went for a little walk together. It could have gone horribly wrong, but she stuck close to me and it's one of my most precious memories of her (RIP).

Totally off-topic, but… Savernake Forest! How could you have gone there after the awful thread on her (likely to be a good storyteller, but I still go “eek” whenever I see the name.
hilariousnamehere · 11/03/2022 03:24

I couldn't leave my two. If they wouldn't go in the carriers then like a pp I'd stay and take my chances with them. One is nervous but a good hunter, the other thinks she's a human. I'm avoiding news as much as possible but this is somehow one of the most heartbreaking things I've heard :(

hilariousnamehere · 11/03/2022 03:25

@Furries that's exactly how I feel!

Furries · 11/03/2022 03:29

@AuntyBumBum

How exactly would you do that? Because I doubt they'd be vets hanging about to do it. Even if you did have time

This is the really awful question. There are ways to do it without a vet. Not ideal but for most cats it would be kinder than the alternatives.

Not to be ghoulish, but what are the ways without a vet? I don’t have a gun (thankfully). I can’t see a kind and humane way without a vet.

Am not judging, just to be clear. I’d rather know - just in case it’s ever needed. Because I know my cat, and he would no way be able to fend for himself if I left him - so it would be cruel for me to do that.

Furries · 11/03/2022 03:52

[quote hilariousnamehere]@Furries that's exactly how I feel![/quote]
Yup! Some people will never understand it. But he’s my family - I’m responsible for him.

Some of the news footage - people in basements, on trains, in queues or whatever else - so many of them have their pets with them. I’d imagine that a number of children are comforted by the fact that their pets are with them.

There were comments/posts elsewhere re giving donations re animals that were really horrible. But I think some fail to realise how much animals mean to some of those fleeing.

My boy’s brother (RIP) I could have carried in my arms anywhere - he truly had me on a pedestal! But he would have swiped anyone else that came near him and his death-stare would have terrified most people.

Most of the dogs I’ve seen on news footage have been fairly small. I haven’t seen footage of large-breed dogs fleeing with their families - must be much harder.

Some posts elsewhere on this site are disparaging re animals in this Situation. But sometimes people forget that not everyone has husband/wife/partner + kids. For some people, their pet is their family.

HoppingPavlova · 11/03/2022 05:42

I read a story some years ago about a Syrian family (mother and daughters) who fled Syria with their beautiful white cat. They crossed from Turkey to Greece in a little boat and, upon landing in Lesbos, the panicked cat ran off and disappeared. The heartbroken family gave up on her, but a few months later she was picked up as a stray, was discovered to have a microchip and reunited with her family, by then living in Sweden.

Such a beautiful story, I would think incredibly rare but such a great endingFlowers. Unfortunately I can’t see many stories turning out like thisSad.

HoppingPavlova · 11/03/2022 05:58

Not to be ghoulish, but what are the ways without a vet? I don’t have a gun (thankfully). I can’t see a kind and humane way without a vet.

I have personal experience of this. First was with grandparents stories. People have always had pets but in early 1900’s (before and during WW1), there was no such thing as vets here, not sure about in UK. Grandparents seemed to think they came about after WW1 and even then the average person certainly couldn’t afford to visit. People loved their pets, but realistically sometimes they get sick and suffer. They were in a city situation so no guns. Depending on type of animal, it would be quickly dispatched either by breaking the neck for smaller animals that wriggled a lot, or bash head in with a stone in one go for larger. Typically you would get a neighbour to oblige, it was an accepted necessary evil out of love back in those days.

I’ve also had situations with road casualties in rural and outback areas. No point saying call a vet if you are 8 hours from the nearest single building petrol station and 12 hours+ from nearest town with a vet. Not much fun for a kangaroo lying there with a broken back in extreme pain, could take a while to die in blistering heat etc. There’s always rocks around. I’ve never done it myself, not because I can’t, but in those situations have always been with a male who realistically has a lot more arm power than I have as the objective is one go, two at absolute most. Not pleasant but kindest thing.

CosmicComfort · 11/03/2022 06:59

It’s heartbreaking to watch what’s going on in Ukraine.

I would have to try and take my cat. She’s a daft ragdoll with zero survival skills. She would hate the carrier and doesn’t like to be held much either so it would be tricky but she would die for definite if I left her. She would just wander round meowing and looking at her food bowl, waiting for someone to it to fill up😿

Hard to think about really.

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