If you saw a cat get hit-and-run by a car, would you help it?

Question

A few weeks ago, I was driving through a rural street and saw a black cat get hit by a car and thrown a few yards. At least 2 other cars saw it but nobody stopped. As i drove past the cat, i noticed it twitchin hysterically, so i turned back to see how bad it was hurt. Its body was intact, with a little blood dripping out of its nose. By then it was lying motionless but i could see it was breathing.

After a few minutes of standing there, I decided that he was probably as good as dead and dragged him to the side of the road in the shade and left. The next day, the cat was gone.

Everyday i pass by that area, i wonder if that cat lived and if i'm a horrible person for leaving it there. Am I?

Answer 1

Not horrible. We saw a cat lying beside the interstate that was moving, obviously stunned, and perhaps hurt. We made a couple u-turns, gathered it in a blanket and took it to our vet. He treated it for scrapes and a concussion. It was then given over to a pet store that arranges adoptions, and now has a happy life in a family with children. It's possible that happened with that cat, too, or his family went looking for him and took him home. It's best to think that, and not blame yourself. You at least cared.

Answer 2

You're not a terrible person. At least you moved the cat out of the road so it wouldn't be run over again, and left it in the shade. The cat may have recovered from shock and gotten itself home, or the owner may have been looking for it and found it, or, since he was at the side of the road, a dead animal cleanup crew could have removed it.

I did something similar and I am still haunted by it. I saw a cat lying in a grassy area just off a busy street. He was lying on his side with all four limbs stretched out straight -- I work at an animal hospital and I know that is how cats look when they have died. The last contraction of their muscles stretches the legs out like that. So I didn't stop and drove on by.

When I drove past the next mornig, I saw that the cat's body was up on its chest with its legs under it, as if it had tried to get up. This time I did stop, but it was dead. Sometime after I first saw it the day before, the poor thing had come out of being unconscious and tried to get up, maybe to get home. Its head was badly damaged so I doubt it could have been saved even if I had stopped the first day and taken it to the vet hospital where I work, but I could and should have tried to save it. I feel terribly guilty about deciding, from 20 feet away in a moving car, that it was dead, rather than stopping to try to help.

I think most of us have regretted not doing something when we had the choice. All we can do is try to do better next time.

Answer 3

If you haven't already done so, call all the vet clinics and cat rescues in your area just in case anyone has taken her there. Though it's often a cat's instinct to hide when they are sick or injured, they would prefer to hide somewhere they know is safe and secure. So if she's able to she will try to make it home. (Shortly after my sister adopted a stray cat he was hit by a car late at night and made it home with a badly broken leg.) Keep searching the area between where she was hit and your home. Deliver "missing cat" notices to every home in neighbouring streets asking people to check sheds, garages and any other outside buildings in case she's taken refuge somewhere. Check everywhere thoroughly and don't stop till you find her. When you do find her take her straight to the vet for a check-up. It may only have looked like a glancing blow to your brother, but cars are a lot bigger, faster and heavier than cats so there could be internal damage even if she appears to be okay. Hope you find her very soon and that she will be okay. Edited to add: I'm so glad you found her. When my sister cat was hit she took him to an emergency vet who simply prescribed some painkillers, told my sister to keep the cat confined to a small area overnight and take him to her regular vet in the morning for surgery. (He had to have a back leg amputated.) If you're unable to get to a vet tonight give them a call. They'll be able to offer advice and ask them whether or not it's a good idea to try offering her any food. (If surgery is necessary the vet will need to be sure that the cat hasn't eaten for at least 12 hours). Wishing her a speedy recovery.

Answer 4

That's a very difficult decision of what to due under different circumstances. Sometimes, a cat will get 'hit' by a car and not be seriously injured, but will require medical attention. It would certainly be very helpful and humane if someone were to assist the cat. The problem with that is that many vet facilities really don't want them brought there because there is no one willing to pay for the cats expenses.
On the other hand, if a cat is run over, there are usually serious injuries. The cat will most likely die, but you don't want to see them suffering for a long period of time.
I left my house one day about 2 years ago to go to work. In the driveway, I noticed a small cat that was lying there, obviously in pain. I inspected the animal. It appeared as if the rear quarter of the cat was run over as there seemed to be extensive damage to the stomach, rear legs and hip area. My assessment of the injuries was that they were very serious, but would not cause immediate death due to the area injured, so the cat would probably lay there suffering for a day or two before it died from its injuries. I decided to end its misery. I went inside and got my hand gun. It was a very difficult thing for me to do. I felt really bad afterwards. I was trembling and sick for several hours over what I had done, but I still think it was in the animals best interest.

Answer 5

It's a good idea to know in advance if a local animal hospital will take drop-offs like this. Some will, if a cat or dog is hit by a car they can do something to stabilize it. Maybe the animal has a chip which they can check.,

Answer 6

You aren't a horrible person, you did more than what a normal person would do.

I would definitely stop if the cat was still obviously alive... See how it was, and quite possibly take it to the vet.. But I am a total and complete sap when it comes to cats.. I'd prolly start bawling if I saw that happen, I'd have to pull over anyways because of my blinding tears.. :P And if I got the person's license plate that did it, uh oh.. lol jk

Answer 7

no. Nobel of you to stop anyway. I think you're a good guy. Hey you didn't know what was what. The city pays people to get dead animals left on the side of the road. Don't worry. You one of the good guys. that cats in cat heaven braggin about you now.

Answer 8

no your perfectly normal & not horrible...you did more than the person did who hit my cat just this last Saturday, I found her dead after a 1/2 hour visit to my local library, I was devestated. She was an indoor cat & had snuck out while I was at work the night before, I didnt even know she was out.....*sheds tear*

Answer 9

I guess you did what you could which is more than a regular person would do but personally I'd had taken him to the nearest vet hospital. If he'd died at least I knew I tried to help him and if he'd lived I would have taken him to an animal rescue to try to get him adopted... But you know what? At least you were concerned about it, people need to understand that animals feel like us and deserve and need our help...

Answer 10

You're not horrible, although one doesn't know the extent of the injuries without consulting a vet - perhaps the other people took it to the vet.