Family tragedy tonight

[Lyric]

Our cats are usually indoors-only, but one of them has always been an escape artist. He managed to slip past me and get outside earlier today while I was leaving for school, and I had an exam today, so I didn't have time to catch him. I went to school and figured he'd be waiting for me on the porch, hungry and contrite, when I got home.

I was wrong. I looked for him when I got home, but he was nowhere to be found. I figured he'd show up before dark, but when the sun went down, he still hadn't come home.

Then just an hour or so ago, one of my neighbors came driving up in the rain...holding Byron. He was wet, bloody, and broken. Apparently he had been hit by a car at some point this afternoon, and had been lying on the side of the road in a pile of leaves...still alive, but too badly injured to be saved. We have him resting in his cat carrier with his favorite blanket right now, waiting for my stepfather to get here and take us to the Vet so we can have him put to sleep. The injuries are horrific--you don't even want to know.

ThinkBlue1966 and our son are absolutely hysterical right now. I'm about to die myself from the pain of it. Byron has been our big beautiful baby for almost 4 years, and I am absolutely drowning in guilt and grief. I should have said fuck the exam and spent however much time it took to chase him down and get him back inside. This is all my fault, I'm the stupid idiot who let him slip outside in the first place. I keep thinking about how much pain he must be in and it's just killing me, killing me.

I'll be back later when I can calm down. I have to go help keep him as comfortable as possible right now. Please send every good vibe out to my poor Byron right now, pain-easing, comforting thoughts. Please.

:cry: :cry: :cry: :cry: :cry:

[flvegan]

1. I'm so sorry for you good folks and for Byron.

May he be without pain and pass easily.

[Guava Jelly]

2. Oh no..

:hug: I'm sorry :(

[SallyMander]

3. Oh i am so sorry oktoberain

:hug: :hug: :hug:

I don't know what to say to convince you this is not your fault... please try not to blame yourself... anyone else could have let the kitty slip out, and you wouldn't blame them, right???

I am thinking of you and your family...

[DS1]

4. Poor kitty

:hug:

[CaliforniaPeggy]

5. My dear oktoberain...

Please, do not blame yourself...

Do not put the guilt on yourself, on top of the grief you feel now...

He wanted to get out, and he went...

It's not your fault, sweetie...

Safe passage to Byron...:cry:

Hugs for you, sweetie...:hug: :hug: :hug:

[lost-in-nj]

6. ohhhh

I will always remember the phone call from my neighbor.... who fed my cat...and had a totally different name for her..... she told me she was dead on the side of the road...
everyone in the neighborhood had a story......
oh i am so so sorry
our Atrayu was black and she would climb on your back and sleep on your shoulders...
oh i am so sorry.....


:hug: :hug: :hug: :hug: :hug:



lost

[BarenakedLady]

7. I'm so very sorry

And I know the guilt and pain you are feeling too. Please don't beat yourself up over it. Accidents happen. You gave your kitty a loving home and a happy life.

:hug:

[Critters2]

8. I'm so sorry, oktoberain,

but please don't be so hard on yourself. You had no reason to think this would happen, and you made a choice nearly anyone would have made in your position. Most importantly, you gave Byron a good home and a good life.

You, Byron, and your whole family are in my prayers tonight. I wish I could do more. :hug:

[ThomCat]

9. I'm so very sorry.

:cry:

Poor Byron. I'm so sorry.

[lavenderdiva]

10. I'm so sorry oktoberain-

you, your family, and Byron are in my prayers. Safe passage to Byron- :hug: :cry: :hug:

[Haole Girl]

11. Oh God

That is just so awful.

[Pushed To The Left]

12. I'm very sorry to hear about your loss

:hug:

[Shine]

13. That sucks. I'm really sorry.

:hug: I've been there. We lost our sweet 3yr old cat, Spark, to a car back in January. :cry: There's no soft landing when you lose a beloved family member.

Be gentle with yourself. I wish safe passage for Byron. Blessings as he crosses the Rainbow Bridge...

[TommyO]

14. I'm so incredibly sorry to hear about Byron

Many years ago, when I was just a teenager (and a young one at that), one of our cats was struck by a car in exactly the same place that his partner in crime, our next door neighbor's cat had been struck a few weeks earlier. It was heartbreaking for me, and I'm welling up right now thinking about it.

My best wishes to you, your family, and to Byron for a safe passage from this life. He'll be missed, but he'll also be remembered, and knowing my cats, will find you again, somehow.

[DeposeTheBoyKing]

15. I'm so sorry - what a horrible ordeal

My heart is breaking for you. Byron is SOOOOOOO beautiful. :cry: :hug:

[MountainLaurel]

16. Oh sweetie

I'm so sorry to hear about Byron. Be good to yourself too.

[qanda]

17. Oh, I am so sorry

I just read your thread last night about needing good vibes. Seems like you are going through a lot and this obviously doesn't make things any easier. I will continue to keep you and your family in my thoughts. I wish Byron comfort and peace as he passes.

[Cabcere]

18. Oh, honey...I am so sorry to hear this.

:hug: May your lovely cat go in peace. :cry: I know it's never easy, but it sounds like you're doing the right thing - making him as comfortable as possible and letting him know how much he is loved. :hug: My thoughts are with you and your family. :pals:

[stuntcat]

19. omg

:cry: I am so sorry, this is so sad. Everyone must be feeling awful, but soon you can look back and remember the happy life he had and that is what matters, they all live short lives and we're just helping them along.
Tonka's wife Tyco got away once and in just a couple hours she wandered a quarter mile away and was hit.. there's something about cats and cars that we can't control. You have to look at his life with nothing but love and happiness, PLEASE do not feel any guilt :hug:

[MonkeyFunk]

20. Oh, I'm so sorry to hear that....

he's a beauty.

[some guy]

21. :(

:hug:

:(

[RiffRandell]

22. I'm so sorry. n/t

[piesRsquare]

23. It's okay, Oktoberain...

You had to take your exam; that was important. Byron was a door-darter. You didn't let him out intentionally, and you were mindful of him. You got home when you could and you looked for him. You didn't neglect him.

You could have skipped your exam to go after Byron, but what of it? He could have darted into the street and been hit by the car right before your eyes. He could have been hit while you looked for him in the backyard. Even if you had done things differently, it doesn't mean the tragedy would have been prevented.

When a door-darting cat is determined to get out, there's little that can be done to stop it--aside from shutting the cat in a room or carrier (not really acceptable options). One of my cats broke window glass and popped out a screen to get outside (three times). Byron had his mind set...

Veterinary medicine has come so far in recent years...as I write this, I am hoping that the initial exam by the vet results in what is often the case: that the injuries look much worse than they actually are. I am hoping Byron can be saved.

I send my love and healing "vibes" to you, your family, and to Byron.

Byron knows it's not your fault, Okotberain. In fact, Byron is probably a bit miffed that you would even *dare* suggest that you have any control whatsoever over the Lord Byron, Master of the Master Species-That-is-Feline! Lord Byron cometh and goeth as he pleaseth, fair Human!

:hug:

[Tuesday Afternoon]

24. Poor thing. My heart goes out to you all.

So sorry this happened.

[Lyric]

25. Update: Thank you all so much.

Byron is gone. He went without pain and without fear, surrounded by the people who cherished every moment he was with us.

I'm numb at the moment. I just wanted to let you all know what happened.

:grouphug: :cry:

[Nevernose]

26. It's not your fault: cats just do what cats do.

If they didn't, we wouldn't love them so much. It's not your fault.

It's been years since I owned cats -- I developed an allergy -- but there just aren't many humans I'd put in the same category as some of those cats.

Please don't blame yourself, and celebrate the life of the friend you had. And, as morbid as the thought is, remember that all things must pass, and when Byron passes he won't be alone. He's had a better life than most cats, and you have nothing to feel guilty for.

Good thoughts Byron's way...

[Spacemom]

27. I'm so sorry you're going through this

I know it's hard, but please try not to blame yourself. Cats are independent creatures, with minds of their own. You aren't expected to spend every second of your life watching over them. You've done the best you can, and your kitty still loves you.

Godspeed Byron.

:hug:

[huskerlaw]

28. I'm so sorry.

:(

Please don't blame yourself. What happened was an accident. Even if you had stayed home and looked for him, there's absolutely no guarantee that you would have found him in time. As for him getting out...honey, it happens. Mine try all the time, and sometimes succeed. That's not your fault either.

I'm heartbroken for your family, though. I know how bad it hurts to lose a cat. And having to see them in pain is horrible. But Byron knew you loved him and he didn't blame you for this either.

Hugs to you, ThinkBlue, and Brendan. :hug:

:cry:

[Withywindle]

29. I am so, so sorry.

:hug:

[RFKHumphreyObama]

30. My thoughts, prayers, deepest sympathies and condolences

May Byron have a safe journey into the next life and peace, comfort, healing and strength go out to your family :hug: :hug:

It is not your fault. These things just happen

[Beausoir]

31. Peace to Byron.

[mitchum]

32. My thoughts are with you and all who knew and loved Byron

[Mz Pip]

33. I am so sorry

:hug: Peace be with you Byron.

Mz Pip
:dem: