Another cat run over

Oh Miepe. Poor thing. Poor you. How distressing and horrible for you especially as the road has claimed your other pusses too. Are you going to make some sort of protest or try to organise some way to slow the traffic?

we lost our cat last year and now have two kittens.I think we'll keep them in,much as I know they need freedom I'm worried they'll end up under someones wheels.I'm looking at putting a huge cage outside the kitchen window so they can get outside but still be safe .We're thinking it could be about 8 foot tall and the same in width and lngth it could house a decent size tree and things to occupy them.The house isn't overlooked by anyone so wont be a problem with a cage there .I'm so sorry for your loss ,they steal your heart and losing them is so hard

How sad, so sorry. We lost a 1 year old kitten last year, even though we live in the country up a quietish dead end road. However, some locals go so fast, also delivery drivers. I am always watching out for cats when driving (and children of course). Some people just don't care.

If I could afford it I'd have a big cat proof enclosure within my garden, with shrubs and wild areas. Then would have peace of mind.

So sorry for your loss, Miep1

paddyann You can get "cat netting" to secure your garden. I had my garden "cat secured" after having two 18 month old cats run over on a quiet road a year after each other. I was heartbroken and so was my remaining cat. I thought I would lose her too because she gave up eating and was pining so badly.

Now she can still go out in the garden and roam around but she can't get out of that space. If you are interested, send me a PM and I will give you the name of the company who supplied the netting and brackets. I got a local handyman to fix it for me with the aid of photos from the Net showing how it needed to be done. Its unobtrusive and I have peace of mind.

I am so sorry Miepl to hear your sad news. for you.

In this photo of one of my garden walls, you can just see the wooden framework and the netting and brackets. See how unobtrusive it is, yet it does the trick.

Looks good sparklefizz. Certainly something to consider.

My cat tried very hard to get over it when the netting was first put up but she couldn't do it. There is a very aggressive Bengal cat in the neighbourhood who has tried to get in and not been able to, plus I watched a squirrel run along the garden wall and he kept assessing whether he could get over the netting. I was worried about him making a hole in it, but in the end he gave up and ran away. We also have a den of foxes close by and I often see them, but I can let my cat out, day or night, and know that the netting is keeping her safe in many ways ....... she is much-loved and I want to have her with me for many years to come if I possibly can.

So sorry to hear about your cat Miep1 it's a hard choice to make between allowing them freedom and keeping them safe isn't it.
Sparklefizz that looks like a good solution, my daughter has a Bengal cat -I'll say no
more !!

sodapop Bengals are known for their climbing skills, aren't they? I'm pleased to say that my netting defeated him/her. He was very cross and making a terrific racket.

This looks great (and you have a lovely garden).

Oh, thank you nightswimmer!

I am so sorry Meip1, it is horrible when we lose a pet. Two or three doors up from us they got so fed up having their cats run over that they built a large shed in the garden. To get to the shed from the house they have a covered walkway. Keeps them safely ‘in’ the garden. Also, if you already have a really secure fence around your garden they sell something that fits to the top of the fence. It spins if a cat tries to get over the fence so keeping the cat in its own garden.

Sadly, where we are, the council would have a fit if we put up netting

I'm afraid ours have been house cats from the start. Tried letting them out, they disappeared and an hour later I had to frighten one of them into turning back as he was about to walk into the busy main road a couple of streets away, then very difficult to catch. My nerves wouldn't stand it.

They have two climbing trees, numerous scratching posts, plenty of window sills where they can see out and lots of sunny spots to sit in, plus comfortable beds and chairs to monopolise. The only time they complain is when one of them has got themselves shut in a room and the other misses him!

Yes the Bengal is quite aggressive as well Sparklefizz don't think she would have another one although she loves him dearly.

B9exchange At least you know they are safe. Years ago I adopted a tiny rescue kitten who was absolutely terrified of everything and didn't want to go out at all, even if I was with her. She would sit on the threshold and watch me, but was too afraid to venture out into the garden. This was such a relaxing time for me as I always knew where she was and when I mentioned it to the vet, he said "Well, you always know she'll be safe."

When she died and I had 2 more rescue cats, they were keen to go outside as soon as they'd been neutered and had their jabs, and my life became incredibly stressful.

Friends would phone me and tell me they'd seen the boy cat way up the road, twice he nearly got run over but I managed to wave down a car as he began to run across.. He was only 18 months old when his luck ran out.

His sister pined dreadfully for him so I got another kitten as a companion, and this time got a female thinking she would wander less .... but no, she turned out to be a wandering female, and 18 months later she, too, was hit by a car.

I just couldn't stand this heartbreak any more, and so now I have got the cat netting mentioned above, and life is so much easier.

I'm so sorry about your cat meipl

I hate the cars. They need to be ditched or at least we need to use them less.

There is a campaign to have cars banned from using roads where there are schools and there are now many of these roads closed. This is a start.

I fear for all cats, hedgehogs, all creatures and children the way the traffic is increasing and speeding along without a care in the world for anyone apart from themselves.

I fear this country will soon be one huge road - this is our legacy to our grandchildren.

Its never about 'them'.
Its always about yourself and what you can do.

There's just been a report on NW news about the many cats that are killed on our roads and a woman has called for all cats to be chipped so that the identities of owners can be traced to let them know rather than just gathering up the animals to dispose of.

Sparklefizz thank you I would appreciate the details of the netting .When our cat was hit by a car last year he was taken off the road by a lovely woman who kept him and posted his description on FB as it was late evening and no vet open to check his microchip.We were very grateful to her as it meant he wasn't lying by the roadside all night .I'm too scared to let the kittens out even though the vet has told me I should we're quite close to a busy road and I dont want to risk them being hit

Condolences Miepl - we had a dog run over many years ago and it's so upsetting.

One of my cats only poddles about in the back garden and has never tried to go out the front, the other one has lived here since he was a kitten and doesn't wander far but he has been known to just sit in the gutter or the middle of the road at times he doesn't go out that much now. We do take them to our holiday home though and I'm also looking to 'catify' the garden for them to go out. Unfortunately we can't net it or put the roller system up so I think the only option would be a large pen with climbing frames etc - even that won't be easy as there is no direct access from the house to the garden which is only small. At the moment he's only ventured out for a few minutes then scurried back in -he's such a wimp

I know how you feel, Miepl. When you live near a busy road, it's a constant worry. I lost three cats to cars. There were field mice in the playing field across the road and I think that's what attracted them. At least, people recognised the cats and came and told us. It's so much worse when they disappear and you don't know what happened to them.

paddyann I've PM'd you about the netting.