Harry's been run over

Holly · 02-27-2008, 02:22 PM

I'm just beginning to calm down slightly after a frought evening. I was just coming back from my mum's house at about 4.30pm when a man in a van stopped and asked me if I'd seen a ginger and white cat as he'd just "hit one". I knew immediately that it was Harry - he's the only ginger and white cat round here and his road sense is limited at times.

The man (bless him, there are some nice people around) was driving round looking for the cat as it had "run off" afterwards and he was worried about it. He offered to help me find him and take him to the vet.

Well, panicking more and more by the minute, I've spent two and half hours looking for Harry this evening - he was no where to be found and I started to really fear the worst - had he gone off to die in that cat-like way?

Well I've just found him on my bed.

He seemed to be moving ok and at first I thought, miraculously, he'd escaped injury. I brought him up some cat milk as he didn't seem to want to come downstairs and I can now see he's got blood about midway down his tail - the wound doesn't look too bad and he's moving his tail - it seems to have stopped bleeding now. There's no way I can get near it to clean it/look at it - he's having none of that.

I've made the decision not to take him to the vet tonight - he's an ex-feral kitten and he hates the vet with a passion (he's never yet not bitten or scratched the vet and me on previous visits), I think it would upset him too much tonight when he's already shaken up. He's just drunk half a bottle of cat milk and 3/4 of a pouch of Kit Kat. I'll have to see how he is in the morning - I suspect we'll have to go - he may have a compound fracture of his tail, I guess, though I don't think so as he is moving it.

I really started to think I'd lost him, I can't believe he's back.

Gust0o · 02-27-2008, 02:27 PM

Bloody hell - that's quite something Holly!

I'm glad he's back - you must be so relieved.

Can you let us know how he gets on at the vets? Poor little guy

**Spuds Mum** · 02-27-2008, 02:44 PM

Oh gosh Julie, how horrible for you! When I first started reading I thought you wouldnt have found him, as you say the 'disappear' instinct seems to kick in (as in my Smudge, RIP).

Thank goodness he doesn't seem too badly hurt, however he could have internal injuries etc. so you are right to be keeping a very close eye on him. He can't be in safer hands though I know.

Hope you just feel sore Harry, and that you soon are bouncing back. Be good for Mummy! Sending healing vibes to you and your poor tail (which I'm sure is your pride and joy, as most cats).
Get well soon.

Julie - a large glass of wine is what I prescribe for you! for the shock x

Basia · 02-27-2008, 03:01 PM

Oh Julie, I'm so glad you have found him. I guess he has used one of his 9 lives.

Hope he is ok, Hugs to you.

Catja · 02-27-2008, 04:23 PM

Oh Julie, I'm so glad he's back, I have lost two cats and found it very distressing. Warms the heart to know that at least some van drivers are nice.

I would just take him and get him checked out for internal injuries but it sounds as though he may have been lucky.

Big hugs to Harry you and Will tonight!

Reminds me of OH when he used to be a copper. He was going to work one morning, when he saw a cat with a bad limp, thinking it had been run over he took it to the vets, on his way home from work he called at all the houses on the street in case anyone had lost a cat. One woman said "yes my cat went missing this morning, he's easy to spot he's got a bad limp from when he was run over last year"

OH with a sheepish grin, then had to tell her where it was

souffle · 02-27-2008, 04:39 PM

Oh my I am so glad to hear he is home and safe and with luck just shaken up and a bit bruised and battered. Probably safest to have him looked at though as you say and he made need some antibiotics as cats have a great habit of developing abscesses. I think out Kennedy has been on borrowed time for a long time now. I'm just glad I can't see him from the living room as I would be on high strength blood pressure pills with the risks he takes on the road and in the trees. Get well soon young Harry and don't stress your mum out any more

PinkEmily · 02-28-2008, 02:00 AM

My brothers cat got ran over when she was younger, damaged both her back legs, maybe broken ( i wasnt born at the time) She lived to tell the tale (17 years infact), and was extremely road sense after that. Glad your cat is ok, hopefully she will learn like our cat did. But not as moody, as she wouldnt let us touch the back part of her body. She also used to take shreds out of our vet, very embarrassing.
It was nice of the van driver to stop, you definately dont get many people like that round these days.

Mollz · 02-28-2008, 04:02 AM

Oh, I'm sorry to hear this Julie, I don't know what I'd do if that was one of my cats

I hope everything is ok, but I would take him to the vets - just to be sure!

Let us know how he's doing. I hope you and Will are ok too x

Jane · 02-28-2008, 11:53 AM

Aww no

I'm glad he's okay though and I hope he continues to improve. Did you take him to the vet today? If so I hope he's okay. Give him a gentle stroke from me please.

Holly · 02-28-2008, 12:56 PM

Unfortunately we've had a few problems today.

The plan was to get Harry into his carrier first thing and take him round to my parents - they were going to take him to the vet at 8.30am as I had to be at work - they know him well as he goes round their house for dinner when I'm at work (!) and we lived with them for a while when he was young.

Unfortunately Harry went utterly ballistic when he saw the carrier (as predicted

) and we hadn't shut the cat flap properly - after biting and scratching me he made a run for it and - for an injured cat - he moved like lightening.

My parents have been trying to find/catch him all day on and off. They saw him once but he wouldn't come near them

If he doesn't come in tonight when I get home I don't know what to do

...at the end of the day he is still partly wild and also very intelligent. I think he knows where he's going and he doesn't want to go there.

Any advice would be appreciated - obviously if he comes in I'll shut the cat flap and I should, with more time, be able to catch him. If he doesn't I'm not sure what to do - I need to get him to the vet ASAP. Would the RSPCA help me catch him as he's injured? Obviously it's all horrendously stressful for him but what else can I do, I'm worried sick about him.