the battle of the brain and heart (little long)

[Binky]

Today my fiancée and I found a little stray kitten hiding under a car in the parking lot. We managed to capture it THINKING that IF we took the poor little thing to the RSPCA that it would be saved and taken to a new home where it would be loved and cared for. I was mistaken..

While in the car I cradled it in my lap wrapped in a blanket, it fell to sleep and purred occasionally stretching and curling back up, wanting more scratches, maneuvering it's little head so I got the best spots...it was just adorable! If I could I would have just kept it!

When we got to the RSPCA the lady looked at it and said that it didn't look very healthy and that it would most likely have to be put down...my heart sank :cry: I knew in my head (brain) that if that’s what had to happen then it was the most humane thing for them to do IF IF it couldn't be saved. In my heart I was distraught! I brought it there to be SAVED not destroyed! We left and an hour later I couldn't handle it any more...my heart kept telling me I made a huge mistake! I sentenced this poor little innocent kitten to death..so we went back.

I was too distraught to go in, if the kitten was dead I knew I would cry so my fiancée went in for me. Sadly the little kitten had been put down soon after we left. Its kidneys had failed and it was dieing. The battle of the brain and the heart was raging again, I still sentenced this kitten to an early death...it was going to die anyway and at least it died in a humane way and if I kept it I would have woken up to a dead kitten the next day....but at least it would have died comfortable in a good home...it would have suffered!

Well the brain won and I know that the poor thing would have suffered had I kept it, it would have died even if I paid for all the best vets. I have a cat already, and I saved her life (she was a stray found under a car in a parking lot as well) and I can be content knowing the kitten didn't have to suffer any more. It just makes me so mad that the poor little thing could have been saved had I managed to catch it before (I had seen it at least once before but it ran off before I could catch it) about 2-3 weeks ago. Also, that people abandon these cats, they breed as is their nature to do and these poor animals often die suffering! It’s not their fault they are out in the wild, it’s OUR fault. But I do know that next time I see a kitten I’ll take it to a VET first have it checked out then, either keep it if I can or find it a nice home on my own…

[XCashier]

I sympathise with your feelings, SIL. It's so easy to bond with a four-legged friend, and heartbreaking to lose them.

You made that kitty very happy in the short time he knew you, with a comfy warm lap to curl up in and a nice kitty backrub. You did the best you could for him.

I wish I were a little more eloquent at times like this. :( :hug:

[blas]

Be proud of yourself.........you gave the precious little kitten warm fuzzy feelings. The little thing was going to die....there is nothing you or anyone else could have done to prevent that from happening. But thanks to you, it died in a warm and safe place.........not under your car or in the middle of the road.

Thanks to your good deed, that little kitty enjoyed its last few hours on this earth.

[Dreamstalker]

There was nothing else you could do. In the end you did save the kitten from a lonely death, and the little guy(girl?) knew kindness just before s/he died.

[Boozy]

Oh, I'm so so sorry you had to go through that.
If it makes you feel better, that kitten's last hours were made so much better because of what you did.

[Strikesfirmly]

Only intelligent, humane beings can take action on decisions other than those motivated by instinct or self-desire. Animals can't do that.

Oftentimes true compassion is the hardest road to tread. And never, ever, the easy choice.

I think you more than proved your humanity.

[BookstoreEscapee]

That's so sad, but much better than the poor thing dying under a car in a parking lot...

At least s/he got some love before s/he went. :(