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Cat died. Hit by car?

Species: Cat
Breed: Tabby cat
Age: 5-8 years
My cat was found a few days ago under my neighbours car. He had been bleeding from his nose, mouth and ears. We think he must have been hit on the road and crawled under the neighbours car to die. I am absolutely devastated and finding it hard to come to terms with it, I just need to know if you think it was a quick death from the information i have given you? He had no other marks on his body. I just need some closure so need to know what killed him? Head injury? Thank you for reading my question, hope you can help me.


Online vet, Dr. Marie

Dr. Marie replied:

Oh, I am so sorry to hear about Tabs.

The most likely cause of death, as you suspected, is if he was hit by a vehicle. In my experience with cats being hit by a car they either escape with very few injuries or they die very quickly.


If he was hit head on then he likely lost consciousness very quickly and therefore would have no knowledge of what was happening and no pain.

If he had no bruising or obvious broken bones then most likely this was a quick death.

If he had significant internal bleeding then this is not a painful way to die.

If he had fractures in his head, it is possible that he did have some pain for the last few minutes of his life, but again, he likely was not fully conscious and aware of what was going on.

I'm so sorry for your loss.

Dr. Marie


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Disclaimer: Although Dr. Marie is a qualified veterinarian, the information found on this site is not meant to replace the advice of your own veterinarian. AskAVetQuestion.com and Dr. Marie do not accept any responsibility for any loss, damage, injury, death, or disease which may arise from reliance on information contained on this site. Do not use information found on this site for diagnosing or treating your pet. Anything you read here is for information only.

Customer reply:

Thank you for your reply. I just needed to know if the bleeding was because he had a head injury and like i said wanted to know if it was quick. I hate to think he was lying there for a long time.


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Dr. MarieDr. Marie is a veterinarian who practices in a busy animal hospital in Ottawa, Ontario. She created Ask A Vet Question as a resource for good, accurate veterinary advice online. Dr. Marie treats dogs, cats, hamsters, guinea pigs, and rats. She has been a vet since 1999.

Is an online vet visit just as good as a trip to your veterinarian? No! But, many times, asking an online veterinarian a question can help save you money. While Dr. Marie can't officially diagnose your pet or prescribe medications, she can often advise you on whether a vet visit is necessary. You can also ask Dr. Marie for a second opinion on your pet's condition.