We sadly lost our wonderful teenage shorthair Bobby last night (Apr 18).
We live in Houston, in a nice residential area but still plenty of traffic. Yesterday afternoon, Bobby scooted out of the front door as he often did. He'd play around the area and then return home a few hours later. We never let our 2 cats out -- too dangerous w. cars, but Bobby would occasionally run outside if we weren't too careful. Sadly this was his last trip.
About 7pm the neighbor gal pounded on the door "Bobby's been hit by a car!"
We opened the door and she had Bobby in her arms. He was mewing awful sounds, bleeding from his mouth (his jaw was badly broken) and one of his eyes was dislocated from the socket. He obviously had severe trauma. He'd been hit right outside our apartment. The car didn't stop (and he's a small kitty and it's very possible that the driver didn't even know it, thought it was a pothole or something) but a biker just behind stopped and yelled to our neighbor.
We took Bobby to the kitchen counter and he was in very bad shape. The bleeding was slowing but he was terribly injured.
Cali the Calico, our new kitty, went berserk and attacked my girlfriend, scratching her on the legs. Cali I guess thought that we were harming her buddy Bobby.
I phoned our regular vet (a highly rated cat-only vet where I've taken my cats for over 30 years). Their number listed a 24/7 emergency vet just up the freeway. So I grabbed ID and car keys, my girlfriend put Bobby in a carrier, and we took off, made good time and got there in about 20 minutes.
Bobby was rushed into the vet, who examined him, started an IV and injected a sedative for pain. Bobby was then put into an oxygen-rich kennel box -- this is a clear plastic ER kennel into which oxygen is pumped to help very sick and injured pets breathe easier, just like the oxygen tube people get put under their noses.
The vet was smart and kind and knew his business, and he was straightforward. Bobby had severe head trauma, one eye from its socket due to the impact, jaw and skull both fractured, likely major brain injury which (due to Bobby's other eye dilating wrongly) the doc thought was likely fatal. Bobby also had other numerous injuries, a broken leg, ribs cracked, and most likely, major internal injuries. From the stethoscope the doc could detect Bobby's lungs slowly filling with blood from the internal injury.
Treatment would be nearly impossible, he said. From the brain trauma alone, Bobby would likely die in a few hours, adding to this his lungs filling with blood and probable abdominal trauma too. And a general anesthetic for surgery might simply kill Bobby because his condition was too unstable.
My girlfriend of course was in total agony. She'd adopted Bobby a year or so ago from a few strays that would come around. Bobby was more friendly than the other strays and he became an adoptee. It was essential that he get along with RJ, my old 17 yr old fuzzball, but they became great pals. RJ himself went to the Rainbow Bridge last July.
Bobby (and we) then adopted another stray, a little calico kitten that my girlfriend found caught up in a wire fence. Cali the Calico is a fun little gal and she loved Bobby.
My girlfriend made the decision to euthanize Bobby and I concurred 100%. So the vet prepped things, and he took Bobby from the oxygen booth and put him on the table. Bobby was in terrible shape but now in no pain due to the drugs. His poor little face was twisted, his mouth bloody, and one eye was mostly out.
I petted him a bit, told him goodbye, and then my girlfriend cuddled Bobby and talked to him and petted him while the vet injected the drugs. A couple minutes and Bobby was free from pain. Naturally we're both brokenhearted but we know that the decision we made was the right one. Neither of us slept very well last night and we both keep looking for Bobby around the apartment. So does Cali and I know she'll soon really start missing Bobby and searching for him. A sad day.
But Bobby is now romping with his old buddy RJ at the Rainbow Bridge.
We live in Houston, in a nice residential area but still plenty of traffic. Yesterday afternoon, Bobby scooted out of the front door as he often did. He'd play around the area and then return home a few hours later. We never let our 2 cats out -- too dangerous w. cars, but Bobby would occasionally run outside if we weren't too careful. Sadly this was his last trip.
About 7pm the neighbor gal pounded on the door "Bobby's been hit by a car!"
We opened the door and she had Bobby in her arms. He was mewing awful sounds, bleeding from his mouth (his jaw was badly broken) and one of his eyes was dislocated from the socket. He obviously had severe trauma. He'd been hit right outside our apartment. The car didn't stop (and he's a small kitty and it's very possible that the driver didn't even know it, thought it was a pothole or something) but a biker just behind stopped and yelled to our neighbor.
We took Bobby to the kitchen counter and he was in very bad shape. The bleeding was slowing but he was terribly injured.
Cali the Calico, our new kitty, went berserk and attacked my girlfriend, scratching her on the legs. Cali I guess thought that we were harming her buddy Bobby.
I phoned our regular vet (a highly rated cat-only vet where I've taken my cats for over 30 years). Their number listed a 24/7 emergency vet just up the freeway. So I grabbed ID and car keys, my girlfriend put Bobby in a carrier, and we took off, made good time and got there in about 20 minutes.
Bobby was rushed into the vet, who examined him, started an IV and injected a sedative for pain. Bobby was then put into an oxygen-rich kennel box -- this is a clear plastic ER kennel into which oxygen is pumped to help very sick and injured pets breathe easier, just like the oxygen tube people get put under their noses.
The vet was smart and kind and knew his business, and he was straightforward. Bobby had severe head trauma, one eye from its socket due to the impact, jaw and skull both fractured, likely major brain injury which (due to Bobby's other eye dilating wrongly) the doc thought was likely fatal. Bobby also had other numerous injuries, a broken leg, ribs cracked, and most likely, major internal injuries. From the stethoscope the doc could detect Bobby's lungs slowly filling with blood from the internal injury.
Treatment would be nearly impossible, he said. From the brain trauma alone, Bobby would likely die in a few hours, adding to this his lungs filling with blood and probable abdominal trauma too. And a general anesthetic for surgery might simply kill Bobby because his condition was too unstable.
My girlfriend of course was in total agony. She'd adopted Bobby a year or so ago from a few strays that would come around. Bobby was more friendly than the other strays and he became an adoptee. It was essential that he get along with RJ, my old 17 yr old fuzzball, but they became great pals. RJ himself went to the Rainbow Bridge last July.
Bobby (and we) then adopted another stray, a little calico kitten that my girlfriend found caught up in a wire fence. Cali the Calico is a fun little gal and she loved Bobby.
My girlfriend made the decision to euthanize Bobby and I concurred 100%. So the vet prepped things, and he took Bobby from the oxygen booth and put him on the table. Bobby was in terrible shape but now in no pain due to the drugs. His poor little face was twisted, his mouth bloody, and one eye was mostly out.
I petted him a bit, told him goodbye, and then my girlfriend cuddled Bobby and talked to him and petted him while the vet injected the drugs. A couple minutes and Bobby was free from pain. Naturally we're both brokenhearted but we know that the decision we made was the right one. Neither of us slept very well last night and we both keep looking for Bobby around the apartment. So does Cali and I know she'll soon really start missing Bobby and searching for him. A sad day.
But Bobby is now romping with his old buddy RJ at the Rainbow Bridge.
This must be so hard after losing RJ last year. Hugs to you and your girlfriend, and head scratches to little Cali.
