Conference misery::feline_v1

    Such a sad story.  I have tears in my eyes.  We have a stray who
    visits us.  I've been feeding him.  I worry about him.
      I'll add Gretsky's name to the Silver Lining Memorial.  
      Nancy

    And you/re so good to take care of Gretsky's body.  You're right,
    its better for Gretsky's dad to remember him as he was.
      N

    Thank you so much for adding Gretsky to the silver lining memorial, I
    know that he's in kitty heaven and I know he appreciates it.
    
    Sue
    

    I think it was very thoughtful of you to take care of Gretsky for
    his owner.  Even though it was tough on you, the owner will be able
    to remember his cat as he was in life, not as he was in death.
    
    Jo

    This is so sad. It's depressed me all day. I love cats and
    I hate it when things like this happen. You are a very 
    thoughtful person. I prayed for little Gretsky right now 
    but my heart still breaks.
    
    lp Pounce and Nut
    

    
    I agree about outdoor cats being in at night.  I'm practically in
    tears here.  My Snowball was out one night and got hit.  We were
    lucky, she survived.  But I remember the trauma of finding her
    curled up in the driveway, all wet and looking up to me for help.
    
    My cats are in at night now.  
    
    You are a wonderful person to take care of Gretsky.
    
    Faith
    Snowball and Professor
    

    A friend of ours keeps her cat IN during the day and OUT
    at night.  Her logic is that there is a lot more traffic
    during the day - particularly morning and evening rush
    hours - and that therefore increases the chances of her
    cat getting hit.  Lower traffic volume at night decreases
    the chances, though it's probably offset somewhat by
    decreased visibility of drivers.
    
    Donna

                       More info on rotten driver
    
    I have the rest of the story of poor Gretsky.  As I got home yesterday
    I was meet at the door by a woman who asked me if I owned a tiger cat.
    
    I had a sick feeling that I knew what was comming, and I tried very
    hard to hold my temper.  I told her that I knew where the cat lived,
    and asked why she wanted to know.
    
    She said that a "friend" of hers had hit a cat outside my house last
    night and wanted to find the owner.
    
    I'm afraid I lost it at that point.  I told her that the cat died in
    pain in my driveway.  That sort of stopped her in her tracks.  I asked
    he why she didn't knock on my door last night.  She really didn't have
    an answer to that.  (That's why I'm sure there was no friend, this
    woman hit that cat.)
    
    I told her she would have saved that poor animal hours of agony if she
    had just been brave enough to knock on a few doors.  She agreed to
    that.  She is also going to pay for Gretsky's creamation.  I didn't
    want her talking to Gretsky's family, I had already done that and I
    didn't tell them that Gretsky died in pain.
    
    I am so mad at that woman I could almost bite her in half.  I hope that
    there is a special place in H&^l for people like her.
    
    Thanks noters for letting me get this off my chest.  
    
    Feline SO MAD,
    Sue
    

                  RE: .7
    
    Hi Donna,
    
    I hope your friend is right for her cat.  The traffic is lighter at
    night but I would worry about the cat being blinded and disoriented by
    headlights.  That might cause the animal to freeze instead of run out
    of harms way.  Just a different way of dealing with a tough question I
    guess.
    
    sue
    

    Sue, I know that this is hard for you, but try to let go of your
    anger towards this woman.  Gretsky is in kitty heaven now and is
    no longer in pain.  Don't let this woman cause you any further pain.
    
    I agree that she should have notified you about hitting the cat
    the night it happened, but I am sure that she didn't hit the cat
    on purpose, and she is genuinely remorseful now.
    
    Jo

    
    Sue, I understand your anger (and I think you were right to vent it at
    her), but remember that at least she did come back, and is going to
    take care of the cost of the cremation.  She didn't *have* to do that. 
    Obviously, she just didn't think at the time that the cat might still
    be alive after she hit it.  
    
    I suspect she feels every bit as bad about this as you want her to, and
    will be a bit more thughtful in the future.
    
    Beverly (who doesn't always do the right thing, either)
    

    re: .8   I also understand why you are so angry and I hope that
    getting the chance to vent it has helped you let go of it.  I
    do give the woman credit for owning up to what happened - it 
    obviously was an accident - I think it takes courage to admit
    your mistakes.  I'll bet if it ever happens again (God forbid)
    she'll stop.  
      I hope that you can find it in your heart to understand that
    humans make mistakes.  That NEVER makes it right, but it's
    reality and if we can learn from them, then there's hope.
      Nancy DC

    Re: .10 .11.12
    Dear Jo, Beverly and Nancy,
    
    You are all wise and wondreful, I read Jo's note just before I went
    home last night and it started me thinking, especially about courage
    and forgivness.  That woman did have the courage to approach me, even
    if it was a day late, and I should have the courage to forgive her and
    to apologize for being angry.  (Actually I'm being kind to myself, I
    was bordering on rude to this poor woman.)
    
    I made it a point to be out at the school bus stop this morning to
    apologize.  She was nicer to me than I deserved.  She explained that
    she understood that I was upset and that she really should have stopped
    that night but she did know how to find the cat or what kind of
    reception she would have recieved knocking on doors at 9:30.
    
    She had her check book with her.  I told her she really didn't have to
    pay, she said that she wanted to, so I asked her to make the check out
    to the Humane Society.  She was happy with that, and we parted on
    friendly terms.  I think we both understand each other better now.
    
    Thank all of you for your kind words and understanding.  it ment a lot
    to me in a trying time.
    
    Love, 
    
    Sue & Panther & Spot & Jerry
     

    Re: 7.
    
    I also think your friend might want to reconsider.  I have always
    seen more fresh animal bodies in my morning commutes, implying that 
    they died in the night, than in the my evening commutes.  I think
    this happens because as you and a previous noter mentioned in the 
    night drivers visibility is poor and that the light blinds most 
    animals and stuns them.  

    re:.7 and .14
    
    Also, remember, cats are nocturnal.  During the day, most of them
    curl up under a tree or bush and sleep, but at night, they are out
    "cruising".  This could increase the chances of them being hit during
    the night.
    
    Jo