Friday Night Funeral

I had just fed part of the hungry kitties at the Henderson, TX cat colony and upon leaving saw a cat lying in the road. I figured it was dead, but I just had to stop and check. It was not.

The poor thing looked about 6-9 months old and had a puddle of blood under its head which had not even coagulated yet so it was probably just hit by the car I met coming the other way. The poor cat was gurgling when it breathed, but no other visible injuries except the severe one to its head.

What the heck to do?  Only one answer.

I loaded it up in the front seat and may have exceeded the speed limit significantly all the way to Emergency vet in Longview.

De ja vu. Didn't I just do this a few days ago with another injured cat?

This poor boy had no microchip, significant blood loss, severe head injury, he was lying in the road gasping for breath and no one to care about him.

The vet had to euthanize this young cat who had just started his life.

It was a lonely, solemn, funeral with only one person in attendance, no flowers, no sympathy cards and no headstone to commemorate this lost life.

Now I am sitting in the parking lot of the Emergency vet grieving the loss of yet another poor cat's life in this same month. August is sucking pretty bad.

I did not even take a photo of the poor cat.

I couldn't.

I don't need another image to remind me of the fate that awaits so many outdoor stray and feral Texas cats and probably 50% of the Henderson cat colony unless we succeed with managing it and/ or relocation.

SPAY AND NEUTER.

And if you can, keep your cats safe and protected. This poor cat might have been let out to pee, but it won't be coming back because in the blink of an eye it ended up dead in the road. So sad.