I was reminded today how fragile life can be. Not in regard to myself but, in regard to the upsetting way my day began. I was meeting a new friend down in Cardiff to go for a walk and left the house in high spirits.
As I was driving down my street, I noticed an animal in the road. Honing my gaze, I realized that it was a cat. I promptly performed an illegal u-turn and pulled up next to him. I got out of the car to assess the situation and saw that the beautiful, chocolate and black tiger-striped kitty was indeed dead. His head was lying at an awkward angle, indicating a broken neck.
Because the person who hit him hadn't bothered to stop and at least move the cat out of the street so he wouldn't be pulverized, I did so. I grabbed one of my yogitoes out of the trunk and gingerly lifted up the beautiful boy. He was still warm so, it hadn't been long since his life had been unceremoniously snuffed out. I moved him to the grass beyond the sidewalk and left him wrapped in the pristine white blanket. I hope that his family found him. When I returned a few hours later, the blanket and kitty were gone.
So, this brings up a pet peeve of mine. I've been doing animal rescue for several years now. Often, when I speak to people wanting to adopt, they tell me that they "have to let their cats outside" for a variety of stupid reasons. No, you don't have to let the cats out. Or, they will get hit by a car or killed by a coyote. Keep the cat indoors!!!!
I wonder if the person who killed this cat even noticed that he'd hit something? Did he look in the rearview mirror and shrug his shoulders, oh well? Was he busy texting or talking on the phone? It breaks my heart.
Later, as I drove home on this same stretch of road, I was struck by how incredible the sky looked after sunset. It felt like I was entering a Monet landscape. Although my day had been colored with sadness for the cat I was too late to save, in that moment, I found profoundly grateful to be alive, to be able to enjoy the beauty of nature.
Jake and Oreo got extra big kisses when I walked in the door.
How horrible, poor lil guy :( Thanks for all you do for the kitties of the world.
ReplyDeleteYou did a very beautiful thing, Claire. I volunteer with the kitties at a no-kill shelter and they make adopters sign a contract stating that they will keep their cats indoors. They turn them away if they won't. I wholeheartedly support this requirement and hope that people really mean it when they sign it.
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