Thread: Wander Lust

I had two 18 months old, Bubbles and Omar. After much deliberation when I got them I decided to let them out. Apparently majority of accidents happen after 8.30pm at night so I brought them in before then. On 20th March Bubbles went to the door at 9pm desperate for the loo I thought and he won't use a tray so I let him out. He didn't come back and when we went looking he had been hit by a car and was dead. I'm devastated and the reason I've joined this forum. I feel so guilty and I miss him so so much. He was beautiful and I loved him very much.

Originally Posted by bigfella

I had two 18 months old, Bubbles and Omar. After much deliberation when I got them I decided to let them out. Apparently majority of accidents happen after 8.30pm at night so I brought them in before then. On 20th March Bubbles went to the door at 9pm desperate for the loo I thought and he won't use a tray so I let him out. He didn't come back and when we went looking he had been hit by a car and was dead. I'm devastated and the reason I've joined this forum. I feel so guilty and I miss him so so much. He was beautiful and I loved him very much.

I really feel for you, its always devastating to loose a beloved animal whatever the cause, but particularly tragic when its due to something like you have experienced. I used to keep cats, just moggies, about 20 years ago and stopped because I couldn't bear to loose another one in that way. It didn't seem to make any difference how old they were or what the time was, one by one they all went. The two fluffies that have come to live with us now are destined to be house cats, with no chances taken, it really was the only way that I could have had them. I am so sorry that you are having to go through this.

I have a lockable storage room, and an output to the aviary, in the summer when the windows were open and we are sitting in the garden, shut the cats in the utility room so that they can freely enjoy the fresh air, and I do not have to worry about my cats.

Thankyou. I'm suffering dreadfuly. I miss him so much, I love him.

Really feel for you Bigfella,we rescued an old moggie and wanted him to be an indoor cat after us already having lost a cat on our road.Unfortunatly he was desperate to be an outdoor cat(thats what he must have been used too) and one night he just wouldnt come in, so eventually we went to bed and were woken in the early hours by the phone.Someone in the next street had been woken by a lot of noise and when they looked out two dogs were loose and had attacked him,they had been and got him and got our number from his tag,they too were very distressed, it was awful! and thats why Sebastian will never be allowed out.
Sending big hugs at this difficult time.x

I can only imagine what you are going through, Bigfella. It's not your fault, it was simply an accident. We kept moggies for years and they had free access to the outdoors via the catflap. Our road was completely residential but quite near a main road and everyone let their cats out at that time. We were lucky that they were all OK. I think the roads (in the UK) are busier now, and for that reason we stopped letting our moggies roam freely a couple of years ago. They were quite old and we only had to put some netting across the garden gate to discourage them. Now we've got the 2 MCs we've completely enclosed the garden so they can't escape (it was in our kitten contract, but we happily agreed to it).

It is tricky if you have a rescue moggie who has been used to living on his wits and roaming the neighbourhood, and you then try to confine him for his own safety... they won't like it! But you have to make a judgement about it depending on where you live. We took in a beautiful rescue cat last year, and he loved the outdoors so much that he started refusing to come inside at all - he would only nip in for food, and run out again. He also hated our kittens a used to spit at them. But apart from that, the reason we rehomed him with a family friend was because he was such a happy outdoor cat, and we were keeping indoor/garden cats, and it just wasn't going to be compatible.