Chris sent us a note this morning about a dead cat he found Monday night:
While driving home from a movie tonight at about 11PM, my girlfriend and I discovered a small black cat in the middle of the road at the corner of 103rd and Linden.
It appeared to have been hit by a car, and was no longer breathing or showing any signs of life. It had no collar or other distinguishing marks. There was a black and white cat with a white face sniffing around at it when we arrived, but that cat quickly ran off.
After flagging down a car or two to see if anybody recognized it, I moved it next to the fire hydrant on the northeast so that it was at least out of harm’s way.
Give your pet a good squeeze if you’ve got one - we gave ours some cuddles when we got home.
Chris sent us a photo of the cat, which we are not posting. If you think it may be your cat and you want to see the picture to identify it, please email us.
18 responses so far ↓
1 pdaddymom // Jul 20, 2010 at 1:37 pm
A prime in-your-face example of why you should keep your kitties safe inside. Too sad. I am so sorry this kitty wasn’t part of a secure and responsible home….. (I will take this all back if it escaped from its house somehow, but I sadly doubt that is what happened).
2 13 Cats LaVelle // Jul 20, 2010 at 1:53 pm
I don’t think it’s any fault of the family who owned this cat. The cat that wants to get outside will - there’s really no stopping them. Once they’re out the door, survival is up to them. It’s the sad truth of catdom.
3 pdaddymom // Jul 20, 2010 at 2:28 pm
13 CATS - do you find it acceptable for dogs to roam as well?
4 Heather // Jul 20, 2010 at 3:43 pm
PAWS will tell you…average life span of an outdoor cat is half that of an indoor cat. Cats are an entirely domesticated breed and they should be indoors with us entirely domesticated humans.
5 Justin // Jul 20, 2010 at 3:56 pm
pdaddymom - Cats and dogs are fundamentally different animals with completely different behavior. It’s ridiculous to compare them in this manner. I’ve never heard of a cat violently attacking a person - and if it’s happened, I’m pretty sure it didn’t cause the death of the person. Not so with dogs. Also, many dogs do “roam”. I’d be surprised if there are many cats that tend to go more than about 100 yards from their home so long as they’re being fed and cared for. Finally, take a look at the city laws. It’s illegal to allow your dog to “roam”, not so with cats. To put this in simpler terms - dogs can trespass on another person’s property. Cats cannot.
I don’t enjoy being labeled “irresponsible” because I let my cat enjoy a more natural life than it would lead while being cooped-up like a zoo animal in my home. Is it impossible for you to acknowledge the benefits of allowing cats outside and that it is perfectly acceptable for an owner to allow this (as it has been for thousands of years)?
6 Justin // Jul 20, 2010 at 3:57 pm
Heather - So I’m assuming that you never go outside where you could be hit by a car or attacked by a dog?
7 Silver Tiger's Mom // Jul 20, 2010 at 4:48 pm
I had an indoor/outdoor cat that lived to be 20 years old, so I’m afraid the argument that indoor-only cats have twice the life span of outdoor cats really doesn’t hold water. I’ve had others that lived nearly that long as well.
8 jessica // Jul 20, 2010 at 4:58 pm
KEEP ALL YOUR PETS INSIDE FOR CHRIST’S SAKE!!!
9 Mike // Jul 20, 2010 at 5:14 pm
Justin - just last year I was out taking a walk and a cat darted out from underneath a nearby vehicle and attacked me. It clung itself to my leg so hard that merely shaking my leg would not loosen his grip. I had to grab him and pull him off of me. It’s a year later and I still have the scars from it. I can confirm that cats will, seemingly randomly, attack humans unprovoked. I leave my cat inside and certainly wish more people would do the same.
10 tw78 // Jul 20, 2010 at 7:10 pm
I can go either way on the indoor /outdoor debate - I understand they usually live longer inside (though I had an 18yr old that went out) but they also seem more neurotic when left indoors (at least from my experience.) However - I will say I too have a cat attack story, our family cat put my dad in the hospital for three days.
11 Kyle // Jul 20, 2010 at 7:23 pm
There is a black stray cat that has been in this part of the neighborhood for a few years. Its ear had been clipped as part of the feral cat spay/neuter program. Does anyone know if its ear had a squared off top?
12 iheartgreenwood // Jul 20, 2010 at 7:43 pm
Geez, guys, for people who supposedly love animals, you sure are quick to place blame. How ’bout some respect and appropriate sorrow for the poor cat, instead of smug “i-told-you-so”s. RIP, sweet kitty.
13 D // Jul 20, 2010 at 7:55 pm
@ Kyle
I live on 103rd, and I think the same stray comes by my yard almost every day. Rest assured he/she is in my front yard right now.
14 Penny // Jul 20, 2010 at 8:52 pm
I’m sure we all can recall the many times we’ve had to slam on our brakes to avoid hitting a cat that’s come running out into the street from under a car. I have this same debate with many of my friends who let their cats roam freely from home. The city streets are too unpredictable and dangerous for a cat - and that is why I keep mine indoors. RIP Kitty.
15 pdaddymom // Jul 21, 2010 at 9:45 am
First of all, I believe my post was quite obviously prompted by my sadness for the unecessary loss of this kitty. I have lived with cats (and tons of other animals) all of my life and enjoy their company more than the company of many people. Justin - yes, again, having lived with both cats and dogs, I know they are different. My point of view is not based on the danger to people of free roaming cats. It is based on their safety and the safety of the animals they prey upon as an introduced, not natural part of the environment. And re your statement about well fed cats not roaming? Not true. I have heard so many people say “oh my cat stays right near the house and in our yard, but then I see it 2 blocks down the street. If anyone is interested in some factual information about free roaming cats impact on wildlife, please check out the link below.
http://www.abcbirds.org/abcprograms/policy/cats/materials/predation.pdf
16 scot // Jul 22, 2010 at 3:25 pm
i have to chuckle at the the fact that a post about a dead cat gets 15 comments here…
17 pdaddymon // Jul 22, 2010 at 11:06 pm
16 (now 17). yah, real funny.
18 randi // Jul 23, 2010 at 12:04 pm
sorry kitty
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