You Just Never Know

One of the frightening things about life is that you never know what's round the corner. Then again, I supose that if you did, it would be even more frightening.

Last week, it was my niece's birthday, she was eleven, the same age as my eldest.  On Sunday my brother and his wife were preparing a family party for her.

My brother took his beloved dog for a walk to the local river where she loved to swim.  She jumped in but couldn't get back out.  My brother jumped in after her, and managed to get her out, but it was too late, even though he tried to resussitate her.

People who don't have pets, don't really understand what a big part of your lives they become.  She was a member of our family and she is going to leave a big hole in our lives.  Particularly my brother.  The words if only are the saddest two words in the English language.

When I got home it was dark, there was a cat sitting in the middle of the road.  It wouldn't move, even when  I got out of the car and tried to shoo it to safety.  It was obviously distressed but even though I eventually managed to get it off the road, it went back on it again.  It looked terrified, was crying, and there was a dark patch by it's ear.  My vet lives nearby so I asked for his advice and then with my husband, managed to get a now very disturbed cat into a cat box and took it to him.  She is now a resident at the vets. She's very old and doesn't has a chip, and although she has a collar there is no tag.  

I've put a poster in the local post office, but apart from that there's nothing I can do, if she's not claimed then she will end up at the RSPCA.  I know alot of the cats in the neighbourhodd by sight but she's not familiar.  I wonder how far she might have travelled.  Is there a family out there, wondering if she will come back but she won't be able to find her way home because she is at the vets, albeit being looked after.  Does anyone know if there is a missing cats website?

In hindsight I wonder if I did the right thing, but I dread to think what might have happened if I'd left her in the road.

So you never know do you?

Sorry to be so downbeat.