[Closed] If you find an injured cat in the road....

I've done it and he wanted paying - I couldn't refuse.

Poor cat was lay upside down in the gutter with his legs waving about. I'm not a big fan of cats but I couldn't ignore him 🙁

PS; owner put signs out saying 'missing cat' a few days later so we contacted them, they collected the cat (he recovered ok) and re-payed us 😀

Finish it off with a jack?

I couldn't leave an injured animal regardless of whether it was a cat/dog/rabbit or even a bird.

Depending on what it is and the extent of its injuries, either finish it off as humanely as possible or take to the vet/call the Police. Don't just leave it suffering FFS 👿

Yeah, if it's knacked, and suffering, just finish it off. No point wasting a vet's time. Yeah I know it's a cuddly animal family pet etc etc, but at the end of the day, it's just an animal, and deserving of as painless a death as possible. Taking it to a vet might just prolong it's suffering; the vet would probbly put it down anyway tbh.

Not nice, but necessary. Far worse to just leave it there and do nothing cos you're a bit squeamish.

A friend of mine hit a cat whilst driving. He got out and saw it on the pavement, twitching, and looking like it was seriously injured. He decided that it was in the cat's best interests to help it on its way to the big cattery in the sky, and so got out of the car and gave it a crack on the skull with a large maglite, which stopped it twitching on a permanent basis pretty sharpish. Thinking he had been cruel to be kind, he got back into his car and drove off. As he did, he saw something in his rear view mirror that had been under his car. He stopped, got out again, and saw in the road the cat that he had run over, quite dead. This was a different cat to the one he had killed with his torch, which presumably had been having a bit of a dream whilst sleeping peacefully on the pavement. He never drove down that road again.

So in answer to your question, I'd avoid any self-diagnosis and get the experts in.

Comments so far are good IMO, but miss a few important details:

1. The cat's in the road (I'm guessing a busy road?) so you can't just whack it. People don't like strange men whacking cats.

2. Even if you know where the vet is and are willing to pay, how can you transport a wounded cat on a bike? In your backpack? Strapped to your seatpost? Tricky...

I am no big fan or cats, but i would think hitting one over the head and killing it is most probably illegal! So as much as you might want to 'help' you may have no choice but just leave it.

A friend of Joses was reversing his car out of a parking space, and felt a "bump" as he did so. He had snagged a kitten, which was clearly inexperienced in waking up when the car they are asleep under starts up.

it clearly wasnt going anywhere other than the cattery in the sky, so all he could do was get back in his car, and make sure

(reverse, forward a bit, more reverse, more forward: Flat pack cat)

awful, but you kind of have to laugh :s

(love cats, anyone who smacks my cat is in deep trouble)

give it six more months of tory reign and we will be having the same questions asked about people.... " found an injured rider on the trail today, should i have taken him to hospital or do you think they would want paying?"

Cat-eye perspective. I've just been hit by a car/ truck and have major bone trauma. A stranger picks me up, stuffs me into a bag then bounces my cramped broken bones to the nearest vet. He then pays vet to kill me. Nice.

I know it's a hard to do but putting the poor thing out of its misery is the best thing to do.

I ain't squeamish elfin. I've shot hundreds of rabbits magpies woodpigeon pheasants etc. over the years. If I'd had the means to administer the coup de grace I would have. Believe me.

i would think hitting one over the head and killing it is most probably illegal!

Now why on Earth would you think that? Is there any actual law which forbids the humane killing of an animal in distress if the only other option is to let it suffer? Really? Care to point it out to us?

So as much as you might want to 'help' you may have no choice but just leave it.

That's just cowardly. 🙁

(love cats, anyone who smacks my cat is in deep trouble)

Don't be a dick. We're talking about the humane killing of an animal to end it's suffering, not animal cruelty. Stop trying to be an internet hardman.

Your story TenMen reminds of the simular one which involves a geezer hitting a dog whilst driving his car. In this story he uses a shovel he has in the boot of the car and whacks the injured dog across the head with it. The next day he's driving down the same road only to see the same dog with a big bandage in his head being walked by his owner.

Leave it. It's someone's property. They'll be along sometime to claim it.

[url=

I'm not quite sure what the message is, but I think it's be careful in these situations[/url]

We lost one of our cats a year ago, a guy round the corner found him in the gutter dead and couldn't leave him so took him home and wrapped him up and rang us as he had a collar on. If I had been in the situation I would take it to the vets and see if it had a chip so the owners could be contacted.

My brother ran over a cat three times, once accidentally and twice to put it out of it's misery, it survived that and was fine and a few days later had five kittens all of which were fine.

Internet hardman hat on but I'd be pissed if someone killed my cat and there was a chance of it being alright.

If I'd had the means to administer the coup de grace I would have. Believe me

What stopped you? Could you not have strangled it? Stamped on it's head? Horrible I know, but needs must.

See, I don't carry cat dispatching equipment in my backpack. I could whack it with my 15mm spanner I suppose, but that would probably just p*ss it off more. Or I could try to strangle it with my bike lock, but that would be so long and painful it would classify as abuse. Maybe run it over?

To the 'I'd put it out of its misery' crew ^^^^: how would you do it?

The next day he's driving down the same road only to see the same dog with a big bandage in his head being walked by his owner.

That reminds me of the 'cow' scene from Me, Myself and Irene. "he shot the cow nine times, it's lucky to be alive."

To the 'I'd put it out of its misery' crew ^^^^: how would you do it?

Use a heavy object to stove it's head in, a sharp knife or similar to make a quick, deep cut to it's throat, or strangle it. Stick yer foot on the body, and pull the head up sharply, twisting it (will break it's neck and sever it's spinal column). A large animal like a big dog or deer or something is gonna be very tricky. If you can't, you can't but you should always try.

Didn't realise so many vets frequented this site? Everyone's an expert on how terminal the animals injury is.

If you can't, you can't but you should always try. I'll remember that if I ever meet you.

I'd stab it........you've got to do it nine times just to be sure.

I'd stab it........you've got to do it nine times just to be sure.

With an allen key, or do you ride fully armed through the city streets? 😯

If you can't, you can't but you should always try. I'll remember that if I ever meet you.

What you really should do, is try to get a sense of perspective before making a stupid emotional outburst against someone merely trying to give sensible advice.

Again, we're not advocating animal cruelty, quite the opposite. What do you have against the humane killing of animals?

We lost one of our cats a year ago, a guy round the corner found him in the gutter dead and couldn't leave him so took him home and wrapped him up and rang us as he had a collar on. If I had been in the situation I would take it to the vets and see if it had a chip so the owners could be contacted.

If you found a dead cat with a collar on you'd incur a vets bill to check it was dead/not committing identity fraud?

anyone kills my cat and i will ****ing kill them - end of! Not a rambo comment, a fact. It has happened to a cat of mine bvefore and if i see the careless ****er who hit him, 6 years on, i will stamp on his ****ing head!

Your comment of " you should always try" Do you have the skills to identify if the animal has or has not a chance of survival? I know in some cases it would be obvious. If you cannot dispatch the animal quickly and humanely don't try you may prolong or even make the situation worse by increasing the suffering.

cruzheckler - would you kill the driver who ran over the cat, or the cyclist who put it out of its misery?

Your response may well decide what I would do if I'm ever in derek_starship's position...

the driver of the shit white escort

oliver, the guy who found our cat did right, I was stating what I would do if I found an animal without a collar.

Twitching in the road?
In Salford?

Katamine, for sure.

Sorry.

At university I once found a dead black and white cat In the gutter on my street.

It looked like our neighbours cat. I told them and they were really upset. Went and showed them and they said its alright it's not our cat and walked off all happy.

Still feel sad for that cat. Nearly 20 yrs ago now!

I would probably take it to the vet and if they wanted paying I would point i had done the right thing and it was now their turn to decide what to do. I would leave without a cat.]
If it was obviously dying i would dispatch it quickly with respect
Cruzheckler it may have been the cats fault or an accident no one mounts pavements and chases them down ...no wonder people leave suffering cats if they think the owner will do this

Jesus. The opinions of a few people here really concern me.

First things first. If you have the decency to pick up an injured cat off the road and take it to the nearest vet, I'd be shocked if many would insist on payment.

As for the heroic "putting an animal out of its misery", that's fine in principle but some apparently serious injuries are very treatable. Unless you feel qualified to make that meducal judgement about someones pet, I really don't think it's fair for you to decide on their fate. And "strangling"? How is that humane?

stoving an animals head in with a sense of righteousness.

thats a good one.

FBK, thank goodness someone else is on the same hymn sheet

Could been meow meow though, come to think of it.

How was it's, y'know, vibe, did it have a whistle?

FBK - Well done for making a sensible comment.

I think a lot of the people making comments don't have a pet or children.

We all grow up, though some later than others.

I was under the impression that vets had a duty to give emergency care to any animal brought in after an accident. The one I took the dog I saw run over to certainly did so without complaint.
If I ever found out that my vet had declined treating an animal under these circumstanses I would find another vet.

If you pick up an injured cat and take it to the vets then I can't think of any that would ask you to pay. I regularly see such cases.

Many quite serious injuries can be treated and really the investigation and decision should be left to a qualified person. You can always ring the RSPCA who will offer you advice.

anyone kills my cat and i will * kill them - end of! Not a rambo comment, a fact. It has happened to a cat of mine bvefore and if i see the careless * who hit him, 6 years on, i will stamp on his **** head!

Oh dear. I think somebody's perhaps had just a leeetle beet too much coffee/booze/crack. 😆 And I think it's way past their bedtime...

Your comment of " you should always try" Do you have the skills to identify if the animal has or has not a chance of survival? I know in some cases it would be obvious. If you cannot dispatch the animal quickly and humanely don't try you may prolong or even make the situation worse by increasing the suffering.

Obviously I'm talking about a situation where you believe, to the best of your knowledge, that an animal will not survive, and that killing it as quickly and as painlessly as possible is the most humane option. I don't really think a professional veterinary qualification is necessary. It's an animal, not a person.

I'm talking about when an animal is twitching about, all twisted up, guts hanging out, that sort of thing. not if it's just got a broken leg or something (unless it's a racehorse in which case shoot it obviously 😐 ).

Y'know, common sense.

And "strangling"? How is that humane?

Why, how long does it take ?

Do they have time to sing a little tune ?

I was under the impression that vets had a duty to give emergency care to any animal brought in after an accident.

Yup - we have a duty of care to provide emergency treatment where an animal is suffering. Even if that treatment is euthanasia.

Why, how long does it take ?

Do they have time to sing a little tune ?

That's poor, even by your standards. And it's a LOT longer than you'd think, fyi!

i would think hitting one over the head and killing it is most probably illegal!

Now why on Earth would you think that? Is there any actual law which forbids the humane killing of an animal in distress if the only other option is to let it suffer? Really? Care to point it out to us?

Chill, Winston.

it's a LOT longer than you'd think, fyi

How do you know ?

How long it takes and what I think

can we please close this thread before it gets silly - im appalled by some of the comments on here, truly awful!

How long it takes and what I think

🙄

Chill, Winston.

Churchill, Silcott or Smith?

im appalled by some of the comments on here, truly awful!

😕

Eh? 'truly awful'? Where?

I woon't take the 'I'll kill anyone who even so much as looks at my cat' type rubbish seriously, if I were you....

A friend of mine hit a cat whilst driving

That's an urban myth / old joke. Either you're fibbing or your mate was, sorry.

If you take an injured cat to a vet and it's nothing to do with you, there's a good chance the RSPCA will spring for the treatment; if there's a chance you'll pay for it instead then they won't.

I ran a bat over once. Well it,hit my windscreen.
It was lifeless or playing dead. I stamped on it just in case. It was really small though.
knowing my luck if I tried to help a cat it would attack me.

I like the "it's an animal not a person line". As if it isn't human it doesn't matter. Think of the emotions that would run through you if I was to nick your bike. It's just an object.

🙄

🙄

some useful stuff here, i now know what to do with the cat that keeps s**ting on my drive. Shoot it to put it out of it's misery!

the misey caused by eating the poisoned cat food under my van 😈

I like the "it's an animal not a person line". As if it isn't human it doesn't matter. Think of the emotions that would run through you if I was to nick your bike. It's just an object.

Why do you insist on taking my comments out of context?

Where did I say 'if it isn't Human it doesn't matter'? I place Human Life above the life of any other living thing on this planet. And so, incidentally, do the laws of just about every country on the planet. That does not mean that animals do not deserve decent human treatment, compassion and respect.

As I said before; try to gain a bit of perspective. Try to read and understand what I'm actually saying rather than being selective and only reading what you want to read. Please.

I can remember the demise of my first cat. I was about 6. Cat had been hit by a car and its legs and pelvis were broken. Some kind passer by had found it and brought it to the house. Cat was still alive. He dragged himself over to me and licked my hand as i sat bawling my eyes out. Horrible.

Try to read and understand what I'm actually saying rather than being selective and only reading what you want to read. Please.

Oh the ironing !!

😀 😉

What ironing?

No, go on. Give it a go.

Can't? Thought not. Please be quiet now, thanks.

🙄 & 🙄

I'm talking about when an animal is twitching about, all twisted up, guts hanging out, that sort of thing. not if it's just got a broken leg or something

Yeah but I bet you wouldn't have given this poor ****er a second a chance

[img] [/img]

One of ours has been missing for 4 weeks now. Don't think he's coming home. Poor wee bugger. Bonny cat but too thick for words.

Just hope he's been eaten by a fox or something and it was quick and he's not wasting away locked-in somewhere (lot of empty property around here this time of year). 🙁

Well I really wish someone had at least called us when my cat was run over - instead of putting it in a bin bag and dumping it in the hedge!

My GF was once 2hours late home one evening as she stopped to take an injured cat to the vets, having tried hard to find it's owner's house. She asked one bloke if he knew who's cat it was (he was a neighbour, it turned out), but he went off to get his spade to 'put it out of its misery'.
Anyway, the vet took it in for free and luckily she found the owners the next day and all was well.

They then tried palming it off onto us a month later when the owner shipped out to Afghanistan!

sturmey - Member
Didn't realise so many vets frequented this site? Everyone's an expert on how terminal the animals injury is.
POSTED 9 HOURS AGO #

This - if the animal has a collar, call the owner. I'd be more upset if some stranger was finishing one of our cats off too. As elfin said, if their innards are outwards they're probably not going to make it, but with pet insurance cover, vets will happily rack up several thousand pounds of treatment before deciding whether to pass judgment. (been there)

[i]Yeah but I bet you wouldn't have given this poor ****er a second a chance[/i]

Damn right. Look at it!

I've never come across a cat that needed dispatching but I've helped a few rabbits along the way. I guess I might take a different view on that depending on how bad it looks.

I'm waiting for when I find a human twitching by the side of the road.

That'll be an interesting decision.

If I was in a car I'd have finished it off.

Once on a NSL a car infront of me braked from 60-0 HARD. I swooped round and a bunny hopped out and was promptly bundled under my car. I looked in the rear view mirror and the couples faces were 'horror'

****ing idiots. If it hadn't been instant death I'd have reversed back.

A couple of years back I saw a Westie at the side of the road. I stopped and checked it, felt for a name tag (none). If it was still alive I'd have done the decent thing- either take to the vets or finish 🙁

Just in case you find one of my cats (God forbid) they don't wear collers but they are chipped. Please take them to a VET whether they are dead or alive even if your unqualified opinion leads you to beleive they won't make it.

These are not humane methods of euthenasia:
Stamping on the head
Strangulation
Hitting with a blunt object
Breaking of the neck
Reversing a car over

muddy_bum. I rang my local vets

"Can you bring it in"?

No, its got part of its back end hanging out and I've no way of wrapping it/stopping my boot from being soiled.

If I saw an animal obviously badly injured and suffering I'd end its misery.

Once on a ride another rider hit the back legs of a bunny (breaking them). A rider rung its neck.

Nice thread 😕

I would definitely stop, have never run a cat over myself but have been next car along a couple of times. We tossed a coin for who picked it up off the road vs who called the owner. I was lucky both times and got scraping duties.

One was DOA and the other twitched a bit but clearly it's spine had been snapped and it just stopped breathing.

I think I was crying more than the owner.

Lost a couple of nice jerseys there trying to make the cat look a bit less horrible for the owner.

On the climb over Rivington I came across a listless Duck in the road. I flagged down a car and asked him to run it over

"certainly not, I can't! Can't you ring its neck"?

No!

Another car slowed and stopped. In the end three cars pulled over with four blokes conferring. In the end the third driver scooped it up and popped it into the heather and said 'the Foxes will get it tonight'

GRRR

Word of warning... cats can look dead but not be!

Took my dog for his evening walk and my wifes stupid cat followed us.. crossing the road a car smacked into my cat and threw him 30 odd meters up the road, car didn't stop... but his brakes on, but then hit the throttle again and sped off.
Poor little Tiiger (I didn't name him!) just layed there motionless and I figured he was dead. Moved him out of the road and figured I would carry him home on the way back to my wife who was going to have her evening ruined.
As I held him he looked at me with his "dead eyes" and then started breathing... carried him home to let him take his last breaths in my wifes arms. although I considered whacking him with a shovel I couldn't bring myself to do it.
30 minutes later I took him to the vets, and three days of: he will be ok, followed by, we need to operate his shattered shoulders, followed by, we need to put him down, followed by, you can take him home.....
He made a full recovery and cost 2 grand in vets fees...

Had I not been the squeamish type I would have killed him.

Horrible business....

Hammer.

Nice driver 🙁

BTW- what is the legal position? i.e. if you hit a pet are you legally viable for any vet bills?

[i]if you hit a pet are you legally viable for any vet bills? [/i]

it depends...

Legally you have to stop unless it's a 'wild' animal (badger, fox, etc).

That antelope's being done for failing to stop after an accident, I heard.

Thats just reminded me. You don't have to report anything less than a dog legally. So I assume you can hit/run over a cat.

Probably due to size/hazard to other motorists/road users (than compassion levels).

our cat was hit by a car when it was but a young kitten, half a battered/crushed skull, mangled left side of the body....

vets managed to save him, wired his skull back into shape and after several weeks at the vets he got his eyesight back, re-learnt how to walk and how to do so in a straight line without toppling over sideways, how to kinda immitate a normal cats 'meiow' and lived with us a happy cuddly whore of a cat for another 14 years.

i dread to think what some of the people posting on this thread would've done to him if they had found him! 😥

How do you know it'll pull through and live 14yrs? Its a tough call if you've just come across 'someones' pet.

I'd like to think if my Bingo was ever run over it'd be relatively painless and over quickly.

think the point a few people are trying to make is that you dont know, so drop it off at a vets where they're a little more qualified to make that judgement call than random drivers