Something has been bugging me all week. It is this mental image in my head that I just cannot erase. I cringe every time I think about it. See on Saturday, I was driving to the Allen Outlet Mall, which in my opinion is the greatest shopping place ever, and I was getting off of the exit that the outlet was on. As I was driving down the exit I happened to see a dead animal. As I came upon it a little more, it was a cat that had its front legs and middle part squooshed, BUT, its back legs were flailing around hysterically, trying to get off the road. It could not move though since its front legs and middle part were flatter than pancakes. I felt horrible. I straddled it with my tires, as so I would not run over it. I asked myself if I should pull over and at least take the cat to the side of the road. But it was a super busy exit, and I had my kids with me. Then I thought, if I did take the cat to the side of the road, it would die a slow and agonizing death, whereas, in about 10 minutes, someone may run over it again, if not sooner, and end its misery.
Now, if it were a dog, I would have pulled over and taken the dog home. No question in my mind. I love dogs. I would have even taken it to the vet. But a cat??? I had to think about it before deciding not to save the cat. But why would I save a dog but not a cat? I think it is because cats bring me such misery. I am very allergic to cats. If someone touches a cat, then touches me, I break out in hives. If I am around a cat for more than a second, I start sneezing violently. So, if that cat were a dog, I would have saved it, but being that it was a cat, I elected not to. So, even though it was not the fault of the cat for being born a cat, I did not save it.
Now I am feeling horrible about it. Those cat lovers who are reading this right now, you can curse me to kingdom come and back. I know you love your cats. I thought about driving in a circle even to see if someone had squished the rest of the cat again, but I just had to let it go. I did save a bunny rabbit once, but I almost got myself run over in the process of saving him. So, folks, if you were in my shoes, would you have saved the cat???
Thursday, February 14, 2008
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I would not have saved the cat. And I have one of my own.
God puts us in weird spots, doesn't He? I mean, here's a scene you will surely have nightmares about... and you are confronted with making a decision, almost feeling damned if you do, damned if you don't; when, from my point of view, you made the right decision, not because you don't like cats but because it was unsafe to stop.
But because of your upbringing, your conscience, you brought your hate for cats into the picture... but I can't help but wonder... if it had been a tiny dog, and he was about to die also, wouldn't you have done the same thing--just driven over him?
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