do your kittens free roam? are they neutered?

if yes to the first or no to the second then bitch slap yourself for me.

This morning I was driving into work and saw a dead kitten in the middle of the other lane. I know that there are people who enjoy running over dead animals, and this kitten looked recently hit, so I did a u-turn and pulled over to get the kitten out of the side of the road.

I had nothing in my car to help me *makes mental note to put something in the car* so I had to scruff the kitten and grab some fur near it's tail to get it off the road. I laid it gently in the fallen leaves on the side of the road. It was near a house. I thought of knocking on the door, but it was early, and if it was their cat, they would find it soon enough.

This little gray kitten couldn't have been more than four months old. It was recently hit because it was warm. I believe it was owned, because it was quite heavy for its size. (aka it hasn't missed a meal)

there was a pool of blood in the road, and the poor kitten's eye was knocked out of its head. Fortunately for me it was still attached, cause honestly I think I would have lost it if I had seen it roll away.

I'm sorry for the graphic nature of this post. I assume most people who visit my blog are cat lovers and abhor this kind of imagry. Hell I abhor it and I had to deal with it.

Not that this would have been any easier if it was an adult cat. I know. I moved one of those off the road several years ago. but something about this little bit of a kitten losing it's life just kills me. No kitten that young should be free roaming. I can only hope it's owners didn't know it was out. that somehow it escaped..

But I know there are owners out there who think nothing of letting younglings run free. They think it is their nature - like squirrels or woodchucks - to be able to run around in the wild. heck, I used to be one of those people. Now I know what comes of a lot of cats that free roam. I think the risk is just too high.

The risk is just too high.

Ok, vent over. I am sorry if you have a kitty that is an outdoor kitty that can not be kept inside. I know that pain. the first kitty I adopted once I was on my own was semi feral. He wanted to be outside in the worst way. He was distructive to get outside. silly thing was once he was outside if we shut the door he freaked and wanted back in. We sat with him to let him know that we would always let him back in. and yes, years later we lost him to the great outdoors. the kitty I owned growing up was an indoor-outdoor cat, and he was lucky to live to a ripe ol age... but he too knew the sting of getting hit by car. fortunately he was smarter for the experience, and not killed, because he was VERY leary of the road after that. Those kitties that already go outside, transitioning them to indoor only can be very hard if not impossible. It is the kittens that don't ever need to know about outside. they can live full happy indoor lives. and usually if you get them past that first initial desire to explore the new and interesting world out there, then they almost never want to actually go out there. Look and be amused by the wind and the birds .. aka cat tv.. yes.. but explore the unknown.. *shudder* I tried to leash train my kitties, but I had missed that critical window of opportunity where new was exciting and not scary and overwhelming. they all freaked at being outside.

alright, I'm rambling. I guess I'm trying to justify my outrage and apease those who let their cats outside. *shrug* I'm allowed to be outraged and angry. I have kitten blood on my shoe.