Merlin has gone to Rainbow Bridge

This actually happened last Friday *9th* but I haven't been able to face up to telling folks yet

As you know we live in a flat in a nice sheltered courtyard surrounded by a high wall. It's a proper little sun trap and the only cars allowed in are ones belonging to residents. Unfortunately we DO have a problem with the school kids at the High School at the bottom of the main street sneaking in to smoke their cigarettes and there's been a few times that I and a few of the other residents have chased them out as they leave a mess of ciggie dumps, sweet wrappers and, most infuriatingly, smoke in the area where we have washing hanging up to dry! Anyway it hasn't been so bad of late but on Friday there was a gang of EIGHT of them!!! Boys and girls and the boys were showing off - as they do!
Merlin was out somewhere in one of the surrounding gardens but he chose THAT particular moment to come strolling home And as all he's ever known is friendliness from humans he padded over to the school kids. The girls were stroking him but then one of the neanderthal boys decided to show how 'hard' he was and stamped his foot at Merlin and kicked him Well Merlin went to dart away but one of the other lads stamped his foot at him and he, Merlin, ran out onto the main street through the archway and ran straight in front of a car!
I'd seen them scare my boy and banged on the kitchen window and ran down the stairs but by then they'd all scarpered out of sight I ran through the archway and saw Merlin lying on the road and the driver of the car absolutely distraught at hitting him. She kept saying ''He just ran out!'' and I told her what had happened and that it wasn't her fault. I quickly carefully picked Merlin up and drove like a loony around to the vets but by the time I got there it was too late....my poor boy had gone to The Bridge He'd been gasping for breath in the car and I thought that perhaps the vet would be able to do something...anything...but it was too late even by the time I was pulling into the parking area outside the surgery
The nurses were fantastic and rang Neil up (he was asleep in bed) and he came around to drive me back home (it's only about half a mile or so through town but I just couldn't see for tears) and I just cried and cried and cried!!! But after I'd finished crying it turned to anger and I wanted to find those illegitimate little scruffs and killl them and put them through the same torture they had put my boy through!!! Neil actually went along to the school and had a word with the Deputy Head and he said he'd have a word with the kids to warn them about going on to private property but we haven't heard anything since But if I catch ANY kids in our courtyard ever again I won't be responsible for my actions!!!

Neil is absolutely gutted too and has shed a few tears over our wee man He's adamant that we'll never have another cat in this flat EVER as the same thing will happen again but as I've tried reasoning with him things were perfectly ok and we never had a problem until those stoopid kids scared him

Tell you one thing....the house is far too quiet now I hate living without animals....we should have gotten another cat as soon as we lost Tabitha and then we wouldn't have this deathly silence I've done nothing but cry my eyes out since Friday and I just feel SO drained and flat Neil was on early shift on Friday and I was just so tired that I went to bed at 7.30pm and slept right through until nearly 8am!!!
I'm feeling a TINY bit better now which is why I felt, finally, able to come online and tell you what had happened I just haven't been able to talk about it before now to anyone except Neil He told my workmates on Saturday morning on his way back home from nightshift and they've all said how sorry they are and understand that I just cannot talk about Merlin yet I've just been going through the motions at work too Thank heavens I'm on the Happy Tablets cos I'd have probably killed somebody by now....or bitten their head off at least!!!!

*sigh* Beginning to think I AM cursed!!!!

Jeez, I am so, so, sorry to read that Gilly It must be bad enough losing a cat in a RTA, but to know he was attacked and only ran in front of the car to save himself makes me sooooooo I can't even begin to imagine how upset you both must be.

I can see Neils point about not wanting another cat, but give him time, he'll come round to the idea, as you say you didn't have a problem till those kids appeared.

Things like that happening are my biggest fear with a people friendly, trusting cat, thankfully my two and my the neighbours cats are wary of strangers.

RIP Merlin.

Ian

Am so, so sorry to hear about Merlin, Gilly. Am in bits just reading that.
The poor wee toot shouldn't of had to go through that. The B$&$&&ds that did this should be punished, I would love to get my hands on them .
I can understand Neil not wanting another cat, but in time he will come round, it wasn't your fault what happened to your boy.

I'm always afraid that something will happen to Buddy as he is to friendly with people, and will approach anyone. We had a bit of trouble on our estate with youths a while back but they are being kept under control now, hopefully. Funny thing is it's not just the kids from our estate, most are from diffrent areas and use our estate as a meeting place for motorbikes etc.

Hope your feeling a wee bit better today.*hugs*

OMG! I'm so sorry to hear about Merlin. What is it with boys and attacking animals? Ooooh I'd wring their bloody necks if I'd got my hands on them Little f***ers.
Poor Merlin, Rest in Peace beautiful boy.
Big hugs to you Gilly. xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Thanks guys (((HUGS))) Feeling a microscopic tiny smidgeon more accepting of what happened.....perhaps I've just learnt to let it all out and bottle nothing up inside after what I went through with the dogs

I'm still angry at those brats though If I ever catch any of them ANYWHERE near our courtyard there'll be hell to pay I agree about Neil.....he loves cats so much....one day he'll want another but I'm not going to bring the subject up yet (not that I feel ready for another yet anyway but you know what I mean!)

I've just told Calvin and he was insensed by those kids, he says if he saw them he'd be in jail right now. I concur... why the hell do they think that sort of thing makes them look hard, the girls would be more impressed by a man who was kind to animals... its infuriating, I just feel so angry for you and as for being cursed, I'd say you've just been so unlucky.

For now enjoy your and Neil and your bird watching, I doubt either of you would be ready for another animal yet as all this will still be so raw, but if and when you do, it'll be the right time for you guys.

I am so sorry. RIP loving cheeky wee Merlin. xxx

Oh god poor Merlin, I really don't know what to say to you Gilly. But I do think you should give yourselves time to get over this before you think about getting another pet, so many traumas in such a short time, must take some accepting. For now I think if you come to terms with this, it will be easier for you to move on when the time is right. Keep taking those happy pills you probably need them more than ever at the moment.
As for those kids, I would get onto the police and get them to have a word with the school, it's bullying and wicked and they shouldn't get off with it.

Am heart broken reading this Gilly. Poor poor Merlin.
(((((((((hugs))))))))) to you and Neil.
I agree with Kath, I think you should give yourselves a lot of time to deal with this tragedy before even thinking about another cat to fill that silence.

Poor poor Merlin it's so sad and I am really sorry to hear this news.

I too would get to the police station and see if they will go to the school kids should not be able to get away with things like this it's disgraceful.
I agree with the others take your time and get over all this before you even think of getting another pet, spend some quality time with Neil and just enjoy life.

RIP lovely Merlin xx

Oh I'm so sorry Gilly for your cat, and for all that you've passed through . Hope you'll get better soon.

Oh Gilly i am so incredibly sorry to read about Merlin, i can't believe the injustice of what's happenned to him, how can those children have been so cruel. Nothing about it is fair but thank goodness you realised something had happenned and were there for him at the end - i'm sure your voice and presence were a great comfort to him. xx

Thanks guys (((HUGS))) It's been a HUGE help to both Neil and I knowing that folk like you understand WHY we are upset so much. Sadly, up here, most folk seem to treat their cats as working animals that are only there to keep the numbers of mice & rats on the farms under control and seem to think it a bit strange to show so much affection to them They ARE a bit neanderthal in that respect

Neil and I have learnt from losing the dogs and Tabitha that bottling things up just makes things worse so we HAVE shed a few tears over the past week and if we want, or feel like, crying then we do so without shame It IS helping, I feel, and last night we wereking about us definitely getting another cat in the future when the timing is right Neither of us want another one (or two) just yet but we have learnt (me especially!) that we both NEED animals in our lives and that to deny ourselves this will just make us unhappy/ill/stressed....just as telling myself that we would never have another dog in our life ever again made me have a mini-breakdown earlier this summer.....and I never even realised the true reason WHY I had lost the plot until my counsellor sussed it out for me

So, until another furry baby joins us it looks like I'll have to get my feline fix on here and by reading my cat mags once more