It’s been a hit-by-car kind of week for kitties…
It started on Monday when I went for a lunchtime run and came across a neighbor’s cat who had sustained a gruesome and fatal traffic injury. Suffice it to say he’d succumbed instantly—this was no head trauma anyone recovers from under any circumstances. I’d had to peel him off the pavement in pieces—and for that I was grateful it was the tough-stomached vet neighbor who’d come across him first.
The second hit my hospital yesterday morning. He’d been found by his owner half an hour after she’s let him out for his morning stroll in the garden. “He never leaves the yard! I don’t know what got into him today!”
Spunky arrived in obvious distress. He was breathing fast, blood was in his nostrils and his mouth was hanging slack, presumably the result of his broken jaw. One of his lower canine teeth was missing and a nasty muffler burn graced his forehead.
But that wasn’t the worst of it. He was lying on his side and a hard, quick pinch to his hind limbs confirmed their insensitivity. Blood easily poured from his backside when I confirmed that his bladder was [at least mostly] intact.
After pain relievers, fluids and X-rays, the extent of the damage was easily assessed: A dislocated right knee, a high-impact fracture of the left limb’s femur (I don’t think I’ve ever seen one so totally obliterated) and the clincher: a lumbo-sacral spinal fracture.
What to do…what to do…
The owners agonized for a full thirty minutes over what best to do. I’d presented the case as bleak in terms of his future hind limb function and questionable for his fecal and urine continence. And this, of course, assumed we’d be taking him to the specialist for spinal stabilization and limb-sparing surgery.
A K9-style cart was discussed, the expenses, home care, complications, everything…
Finally, he’d been let go.
Afterwards, I couldn’t help thinking how much luckier my neighbors had been. No anguished deliberation. Not having to watch as their cat struggled to survive the trauma. It’s a horrible thing to know what you need to do and yet your cat is conscious enough to look right at you as you decide to end his life.
And then there’s the other clincher: It didn’t have to happen. Thirty minutes in the yard twice a day? Is it worth it? Maybe it is for some cats—but not for mine.
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It's not worth it to my cats and it's not worth it to me.
Trish March 6th, 2008 10:22:00 AM
Oh so sad! What a horrible way to have to make the decision to euthanize!
We have five cats. Ben used to be an outdoor cat, but has made the transition to indoor pretty well. (We now live in a neighborhood that frowns on outdoor cats!) Everyone else has always been indoor and will remain so! I take Oscar out on a leash every now and then, but never unsupervised. It's not worth it to me!
Tammy March 6th, 2008 11:21:00 AM
In my work with grieving people, I've learned there's never any use in comparing one person's grief to another person's. I'm sure that both cat owners felt like it was more than they could handle at the moment. Even looking one's kitty in the eye while making a decision for euthanasia (and when the needle went in) is no easier or harder than having your cat handed to you in pieces. I do hope both families have access to grief support.
Marcella March 6th, 2008 06:29:00 PM
You can start talking up leash training or fencing for cats. There's a syndicated pet show on NPR, Calling All Pets. A few years ago was when I first heard the idea of cat fencing, on this show. They very rationally pointed out that 50 years ago no one routinely built fences for dogs, but that it has become the norm; there's no reason why a cat-proof fence can't become the normal thing to do, as well.
Or enclosures - I had an outdoor enclosure built off my back bedroom, with a cat door in the wall. My cats LOVE it, and I do, too. It's not big enough for them to "stroll around", but they are outdoors, and that appears to be all they really want.
Rita
rita March 7th, 2008 07:32:00 AM
Rita: You've mentioned this before and I've recently had cause to recommend such enclosures for my clients' cats. I think it's a brilliant solution for an indoor-outdoor life. Safety, behavior issues, obesity, quality of life, litterbox problems, predation of wildlife... The list goes on and on. Thanks again for raising this solution.
Dr. Patty Khuly March 7th, 2008 08:13:00 AM
After seeing a lot of wildlife dead on the side of the roads, often endangered species, I think we should fence the cars.
emily March 7th, 2008 09:08:00 AM
AMEN. And while you're at it, kill your TV, too.
Dr. Patty Khuly March 7th, 2008 09:35:00 AM
Rita- do you think a large ferret cage outdoors where they could just sit and soak up the sun would please a cat? I have one male who used to be feral and when we are outdoors on the patio, he always tries to come out- but I refuse to let him. I don't trust that he won't jump the side fences or whatnot one day. BUT I have this large ferret sized enclosure (wire) that has no ramps anymore- do you think if I put that out there, he'd be happy basking in the sun?
Trish March 7th, 2008 10:28:00 AM
Trish,
Sorry I didn't see your post earlier.
If your ferret cage is as big as one my nephew once had, your kitty probably would love it! They do sell these mesh type of "tunnels" that can fit together to make long walkway sort of things - I guess the idea is to just let the kitty come outdoors. Could you train him on a leash? A lot of people successfully do that, too.
I'll have to admit, there are 3 cats that I claim as mine that live on my front porch. One of them is still rather feral, she won't let me touch her (although I was fortunate to be able to catch her for spaying), and the other two came here as strays. I simply could not bring them inside, there are just too many. I don't live on a busy road, it's dead end, and it's rural- I know that anything can happen at any time, but this is the best I can do. For the ones that live inside, though, having the opportunity to go outdoors is such a joy for them.
Give your kitty a try in the ferret cage, see how he likes it closer to the action.
Rita
rita March 7th, 2008 07:45:00 PM
My cat is well enough leash trained to take small excursions into the yard to catch a
few rays. She is a live example of the fact that it's possible to get a cat to start
wearing harness and leash at age six years, not just as a kitten. If the cat is
well-bonded to humans and used to being handled, you probably still have a chance
to teach it to wear harness and leash no matter what the age. If you are patient
and gentle it can be done. It is important to only use a body harness with the leash
for cats, NOT a collar, for safety. She does not follow me around like a leash trained
dog, but she's fairly well behaved and it allows her to have safe, supervised time outdoors,
get some sunshine, and be with her humans. Otherwise, she is an indoor cat. The
neighborhood has traffic, the typical wildlife (except for pumas and bears), and stray
dogs & cats, so it is not safe to let her out alone.
Miss Kitty's Mom March 8th, 2008 12:32:00 AM
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