Someone lost their cat last night and may not even know yet that he won’t be coming home … he was hit by a car. Some caring people tried very hard to help, and asked that we share the story (crosslinked on the Pets page):
Please share the attached photo and info so this kitty’s owners can find some peace.
My wife and I saw a large white and orange cat on the side of the road on 35th between Barton and Henderson on January 11th at 11:30PM. We drove by initially thinking he was killed by a car as he was not moving, then saw him lift his head slightly. We’re cat people. We pulled over, found him bleeding from the mouth, breathing heavily, coughing blood and struggling to get out of the street but unable to do so. We pet him and diverted traffic away from the lane he was in.
Within a few moments, West Seattle neighbors from the Barton Court apartment complex and multiple drivers pulled over and turned on emergency lights to keep oncoming traffic out of the lane.
One driver used his phone to identify the nearest late night vet. Thank you to the half-dozen people who treated this kitty with utmost dignity. Two people provided very nice soft blankets that kept him warm on this icy night and helped ease his transition to the vets. We spoke to him on the way. His breathing remained heavy and he bled on the way. He fought hard.
Around 11:45pm we reached South Seattle Vet Hospital at 11033 First Ave South who kindly took him in just before closing time. X-ray found internal damage. They advised invasive surgery would be risky and required to keep him alive. They estimated cost of $2000.
At this point we had to take financial responsibility for this kitty, making a decision for his human companions as he was not microchipped and had no collar. We asked the vet to ease his suffering with pain meds as quickly as possible and then to end his life. Throughout this process we stayed with him, pet his head softly, spoke to him and for what it’s worth, gave him kitty reiki.
He was a sweetheart throughout and died softly. It was hard to see him go because he was such a strong cat yet struggling with something beyond his capability. It was clear that his injuries were severe. We want you to know we treated him as one of our own.
When we got home at 12:40 am we turned on the radio. The song playing at that moment on KPLU was ‘He Was The Cat’ by the Uptown Jazz Vocal Quartet. So this kitty let you know, in some round-about, wild way, whispering in a DJ’s ear from wherever he was, that there’s a tune in his heart for you.
Dan & Tina Doherty
Gatewood neighborhood
If you need/want to see the photo they shared: click here.
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