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Conference misery::feline_v1

Title:Meower Power is Valuing Differences
Notice:FELINE_V1 is moving 1/11/94 5pm PST to MISERY
Moderator:MISERY::VANZUYLEN_RO
Created:Sun Feb 09 1986
Last Modified:Tue Jan 11 1994
Last Successful Update:Fri Jun 06 1997
Number of topics:5089
Total number of notes:60366

4169.0. "A farewell to a cat I didn't know..." by CRUISE::NDC (Putiput Scottish Folds DTN:297-2313) Tue Nov 13 1990 08:04

    I don't know much about "Fluffy" other than s/he had a rather
    trite name.  I assume Fluffy was a "she" since she was wearing
    a pink collar with plastic rhinestones on it and a tag stating
    that she belonged to one Frank G***** in Braintree.  She was a
    very pretty longhaired white kitty who lived with Frank and 
    his wife and their 6 yr old son.  I know she had a housemate
    and that she had a bad habit of racing out of the house when
    the door was openned.  
    
    Apparently she tried to race across Route 37 in Braintree and
    didn't make it.  I got all the way home and realized that if I
    didn't go back and check to be sure she was dead that I'd worry
    all night so I turned around and went back.  I signaled and 
    almost got rearended when I pulled over just beyond Fluffy's
    body.  She'd been hit in the head and I'm sure had died instantly.
    Seeing the condition of her coat and the pink collar with tag,
    I knew someone loved her.  I picked her up, she was still warm,
    poor thing, and put her in the back of my car.  I took her home
    and removed her collar so I could call her owner. 
    
    I was scared that he'd think I'd hit her but he didn't.  It was
    hard to figure out how to tell this stranger that his cat was dead.
    He was worried about his 6 year old son and how to tell him.
    He said he had to call his wife and he'd call me back.  While I
    waited I gathered a cardboard box, some newpaper and a few other
    things.  I wanted to arrange Fluffy as best I could.  I lined
    the box with newspaper and laid an old towel over that.  Then I
    carefully arranged Fluffy in the box so that her good side was
    visible.  Then I covered her with a pillowcase.  
    
    Frank came to get her a short time later.  I told him that I felt
    she'd died instantly because of the head injury and he said thanks,
    his wife had been concerned about that.  I told him I was sorry 
    for about the 10th time.  I mean, what else is there to say.  He
    thanked me for caring and left with Fluffy.
    
    I've added her name to the Silver Lining Memorial gift and I can
    only hope that the loss of her passing was eased a bit by the 
    caring of a stranger.  
    
    I gave my own cats extra cuddles last night.
    
    Nancy DC
    
T.RTitleUserPersonal
Name
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4169.1Sweet DreamsWILLEE::MERRITTTue Nov 13 1990 08:198
    Nancy,,,what would this world do without humans like you.  You 
    allowed this cat the proper burial and made it as easy as
    possible for this family to accept this sad news.  And all this
    love for an animal you didn't even know.   
         
    Goodnight Fluffy.
    
    Sandy
4169.2Kind DeedsNEWOA::ATKINSTue Nov 13 1990 09:1012
    Nancy
    
    What a lady you are - having done the same thing myself, but not
    knowing who the owner was I buried the cat in my own garden, I know
    just how hard it is on you as well as the owner.  You are one hell of a
    kind and thoughtful person.  I'm sure someone somewhere takes note of
    all these wonderful deeds and one day you will be well rewarded.
    
    If ever you come to the UK please let me know, I should love to meet
    you.
    
    Thelma
4169.3Glad to know you!AKOV13::FALLONIsn't that a Mooncat?Tue Nov 13 1990 12:135
    Yes, Nancy, you did a wonderful thing.  It does make a difference if
    even just one person cares.  The nice thing about these notes is that
    we all get to see more of these types of people and we are very lucky.
    Goodnight and sweet dreams Fluffy.
    Karen, Ruby, Stinky, Wing and Arthur
4169.4Fluffy had someone to care besides her family!USMFG::NROSTANZOTue Nov 13 1990 12:1419
    
    Nancy,
    
    You definately are a kind person... I wish there were more like
    you.  I too had a very tramatic experience a couple months ago,
    unfortunately the cat was alive.. We stopped, took it from the road
    (since the alternative was to let it be hit again) and we ran
    frantically from house to house.  This poor kitty died with us,
    it seems  the idiot kids that hit it just kept going....  I 
    looked every night for a lost ad in the paper, since we couldnt'
    find the owner and felt it came out of the apartment complex nearby.
    At least kitty had someone to be with in it last moments.  I'm
    glad fluffy had you to stop, and if I were her family I'd be
    so happy to have her to burry, instead of never knowing....
    
    Fluffy now is in kitty heaven in peace.
    
    Nancy        still looking for snuggles..... :-{
    
4169.5Three Cheers for NancyTJT01::ARMITAGETue Nov 13 1990 12:149
    Nancy,
    
    Thank you for taking care of Fluffy.  You are one special woman and you
    deserve a gold medal for honor.  I only hope that someday someone as
    nice and as kind as you are will be there for me if need be.  Thanks
    once again for being the animal lover you are.
    
    Flirtaysha
    8)
4169.6 give yourself a hug tooo..AIMHI::MCCURDYTue Nov 13 1990 12:592
    Nancy.. I can only echo the sentiments that the other have written..
    Kate( who is still sniffing) 
4169.7CRUISE::NDCPutiput Scottish Folds DTN:297-2313Tue Nov 13 1990 14:127
    Thanks so much for the kind words and support.  I think it IS important
    to all of us to know that there are others out there who care.  Its
    just too easy to become severly disheartened by the cruelty and 
    apathy in the world.  Knowing other kind-hearted folks makes the
    fight worth while.
      Nancy DC
    
4169.8it's hard to see these thingsPARITY::DENISEAnd may the traffic be with youTue Nov 13 1990 17:0221
    What a lucky kitty to have a great person like you come by.  Poor
    Fluffy.  I had that kind of an incident happen twice to me so I know
    how hard it is. At least they were smart enough to put a collar on her.
    About 15 years ago, I was behind a car that hit a cat and just kept on
    going, I know they knew they did it, because they slowed down, but then
    screached away.  Of course, I stopped and picked the cat up out of the
    road.  It was definatley dead.  It belonged to the one house in the
    area.  I brought the cat to the door,  3 small children answered.  They
    began screaming and crying.  I was already bawling myself.  At first
    their Mom thought I did it,  but I told her what happened.  Even after
    they closed the door I could hear the crying kids inside.  I felt so
    horrible.
    Then again, a few months ago, I was out walking and a neighbor's cat
    came running out of the yard to greet me and was hit by a speeding
    teenager's car.  Of course they never stopped.  So again,  there I am
    at a door with a dead cat in my hands, bawling my head off.  And of
    course, the kids answered the door.  So again,  I had to listen to 
    crying small children.  I couldn't even finish my walk, I just went
    home and hugged all my kitties.
    
                            Denise
4169.9TENAYA::KOLLINGKaren/Sweetie/Holly/Little Bit Ca.Tue Nov 13 1990 20:016
    I think that anyone who finds a cat in these terrible circumstances
    should notify the local shelters and newspapers (many of which have a
    free lost and found column), as then the owners are more likely to
    find out what has happened to their cat instead of spending a
    long period of time not knowing....
    
4169.10Check the laws in your areaNHASAD::KRINERtanstaaflWed Nov 14 1990 12:047
    By the way, I think it's illegal (at least in some states) to hit a
    domestic animal, and leave the scene, so you may want to take note of
    license plate numbers and report this to the owner too.  If people
    started getting prosecuted for hitting animals, it might not happen as
    often.

    Paul
4169.11thanks for helping fluffyMRED::LADEROUTEWed Nov 14 1990 12:336
    Nancy,
    
    What a wonderful thing you did. I'm so glad that people like you
    are out there.
    
    Debbie
4169.12bye fluffy..CSCOAC::MCFARLAND_Dbo knows windows 3.0...?Thu Nov 15 1990 16:006
    good bye to fluffy and thanx to nancy and other caring folks who don't
    mind taking a few minutes to help a fellow creature on the highway of
    life...
    
    diane, stanley, stella