NOTE: I had a prescheduled post about Luna for Sheba set for today, before any of this happened. (That post was written and scheduled a month ago as the third out of three posts I collaborated with Sheba on.) When she got injured this morning, I posted on social media about the accident and so I figured people would be weirded out if I put up the Sheba post with no mention of how she’s doing now. So I combined this update with that post and…. BIG MISTAKE. As several commenters rightly pointed out, it looked like I was exploiting my poor cat’s near-death experience to make a few bucks. Please believe that was never my intent! I only meant to give an update on her health as I knew many of you were worried about her and the Sheba post had to go live at the same time. It was just really bad timing. In hindsight they should have been two separate posts – both for Sheba and for Luna’s good – which is what I’ve done now by splitting them apart. I’m so so sorry about the mistake and grateful you guys were so kind about pointing it out! The whole incident really shook me up (and my kids and my poor traumatized husband) so obviously I’m not on my A game today. Thanks for your patience with me.
This morning I got a call from my husband. “Missing your cat?” he asked.
“Nooooo. Are you?” I answered, not really worried that I hadn’t seen her since the little furball normally goes MIA during all the morning hubbub.
“I can’t miss her since she’s here with me,” he replied dryly.
It took me a moment to process. “Why is the cat at your work?”
YOU GUYS. Luna had apparently climbed up under my husband’s car during the night into the engine and fell asleep. He had no idea she was there and so drove his normal 20-minute commute to work. Once he got there, he went to his office to start his day only to realize he’d left his phone in his car. So he ran back out to the parking lot and just as he was picking it up he heard a pitiful meow.
He lifted the hood to find barbecued kitty.
She was alive, miraculously, but pretty burned. He rushed her to the emergency vet and that’s where she’s been all day. My kids cried hysterically when they heard the news. I had to tell them 80 times that Luna’s not dead (although I think she’s down at least 3 lives for this stunt). We finally got to bring her home a few minutes ago, complete with head cone and mini casts on her back feet. (Oh, and a vial full of antibiotic shots I’m supposed to give her?? I honestly don’t know how I’m going to stick her with a needle when she’s already in pain. Although I will – I don’t want her to get an infection.)
For the last half hour all she’s done is walk backwards into corners and shake her feet trying to the bandages off all while making these little scared noises. It’s really, really sad.
This not the face of a happy cat: 
Not going to lie: I’m having guilt over this. It never occurred to my husband or I that she would ever climb up inside the car, although after posting about it on Facebook I discovered that this is actually a Thing Cats Do. So now we know to thump the hood of the car before starting it. But in the meantime I feel so bad for her and yet there’s pretty much nothing I can do for her.
Updated to add: As of now, she’s curled up on the bed next to me, like she always does when I’m writing. And she’s purring! I think she’s already forgiven me. (She’s still so super irritated with that head cone though. Eesh. Watching her keep trying to lick herself clean but getting foiled by that cone is the saddest thing ever. Okay and a little funny. But mostly sad!)
Anyone else ever have a cat do this? How do you deal when your beloved pet is hurting? It just feels like there is so little I can do to comfort her!
Hi Charlotte! I’m a huge fan of your blog and your writing in general… and I’m a huge fan of my cat. (I am 100% a crazy cat lady.) I am so sad to read about what happened to Luna. That said, I’m a bit confused to see how this turned into a sponsored post. I don’t mind sponsored posts, but when I start reading something that says your cat “almost died” and then it morphs into a post you were compensated for… I honestly had to re-read a few times to make sure that was what was happening. It almost seems like this is exploiting a serious, horrific accident in order to get sponsored blog content. I completely agree we do not have 100% control over our pets and what happened is a pretty random accident (cats are crazy), but you ARE 100% responsible for the portrayal of your response to it and this post makes it seem like you aren’t as concerned about Luna as you actually are (or, perhaps, should be).
Hi Laura – you are SO RIGHT. It was a mistake and I wanted to let you know I split it out into two separate posts. I had a prescheduled post about Luna for Sheba set for today, before any of this happened. (That post was written and scheduled a month ago as the third out of three posts I collaborated with Sheba on.) When she got injured this morning, I posted on social media about the accident and so I figured people would be weirded out if I put up the Sheba post with no mention of the accident. So I combined this update with that post and…. BIG MISTAKE. As you and several others rightly pointed out, it looked like I was exploiting my poor cat’s near-death experience to make a few bucks. Please believe that was never my intent! I only meant to give an update on her health as I knew many of you were worried about her. And the Sheba post had to go live at the same time. It was just really bad timing. In hindsight they should have been two separate posts – both for Sheba and for Luna’s good – which is what I’ve done now by splitting them apart. I’m so so sorry about the mistake and grateful you guys were so kind about pointing it out! Luna’s accident really shook me up (and my kids and my poor traumatized husband) so obviously I’m not on my A game today. Thanks for your patience with me.
Hi Charlotte, I appreciate your quick reply and addressing it. I’ve been reading for a long time and knew you’d never intentionally mean for a blog post to read like that. I can’t even imagine how I’d react if the same happened to my cat. Seriously, if I ever have human children, they will be the most overprotected, worried-about children ever. My thoughts are with you and Luna!
I hope that Luna kitty has a fast recovery. It sounds like you all did the best that you could for Luna kitty. When my cat Ozzie had a cold, he sat on a shelf in the bathroom while I took a shower. He loved the heat and the steam. I find in general that my cat finds warmth to be comforting. My Ozzie kitty helps me to stay relaxed. This is important because stress is one of my main migraine triggers.
I wish your family all the best.
Stacy
Thank you Stacy! Luna is to my son what your sweet Ozzie kitty is to you – he told me today that when he gets stressed out during tests at school, he imagines her sitting on his lap and feeling her soft fur and calms down. So glad you and Ozzie have each other!
I agree with Laura, plus why would the cat food company want their name associated with poor hurt kitty? I do not believe for a second that you are trying to exploit this incident…I have read this blog long enough to know what a kind and sensitive person you are. I know you are hurting over your kitty being hurt! But please consider how this may look to non-regulars.
I have 2 dogs, both of whom have had surgery these last 2 years. OMG, they are so pathetic at first! Something in the anesthesia messes them up, and I’ve never heard my one dog cry or whimper until she was coming off the anesthesia, and then she was the most pathetic thing you’ve ever seen. Best thing I could do was keep them confined so they couldn’t tear stitches and give them lots of love.
Hi Sara – you are SO RIGHT. It was a mistake and I wanted to let you know I split it out into two separate posts. I had a prescheduled post about Luna for Sheba set for today, before any of this happened. (That post was written and scheduled a month ago as the third out of three posts I collaborated with Sheba on.) When she got injured this morning, I posted on social media about the accident and so I figured people would be weirded out if I put up the Sheba post with no mention of the accident. So I combined this update with that post and…. BIG MISTAKE. As you and several others rightly pointed out, it looked like I was exploiting my poor cat’s near-death experience to make a few bucks. Please believe that was never my intent! I only meant to give an update on her health as I knew many of you were worried about her. And the Sheba post had to go live at the same time. It was just really bad timing. In hindsight they should have been two separate posts – both for Sheba and for Luna’s good – which is what I’ve done now by splitting them apart. I’m so so sorry about the mistake and grateful you guys were so kind about pointing it out! Luna’s accident really shook me up (and my kids and my poor traumatized husband) so obviously I’m not on my A game today. Thanks for your patience with me.
Also, I’m so sorry to hear about your pups’ surgeries! Anesthesia makes me hysterical and disoriented so I can only imagine how upsetting it must be for animals. Thankfully Luna doesn’t have any stitches to worry about…
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Awww, your poor baby. This made me cry! But I generally don’t handle bad things happening to animals well. So glad to hear she’s going to be okay! My cat had bladder stone surgery last year (we figured it out because she was crying in the cat box 🙁 ), complete with shaved belly, and we were both pretty traumatized for a few days. But I honestly think she got over it faster than I did. The vet explained to me that animals have a much higher pain threshold than we do. That made me happy to hear.
Thanks Abby – it’s seriously breaking my heart! We’ve all cried over her today… I’m glad you figured out what was wrong with your kitty and got her back to healthy. And thanks for sharing what your vet said – it makes me feel better too!
When Ward had to be in the cone and was miserable I gave him soft food instead of his normal dry food. He loves that stuff and only gets it on special occasions. It’s like getting to eat ice cream when you have your tonsils out.
Yeah I got her some soft cat food! She hasn’t got much of an appetite yet though:/
Please see your “inbox” for a timely solution for Luna…the best way to deal…and the best comfort.
Glad to hear Luna is going to be ok! Owning pets can be really really hard sometimes.
I remember struggling with this as a kid, learning what responsible pet ownership REALLY meant, and having to make decisions about their health and their pain when they have no idea what is going on or that you are trying to help them. Cats unfortunately are really good at hiding their pain, and they sometimes even purr when they are in pain, as it soothes them (as well as us!).
Do you have an attached garage? If so, looks like that will now be off limits to nosey kitties!
My parents have an attached garage and their cats are always dieing to go out there. They have to make sure to do a head count in the evening lest one of The Girls get left out in the garage. Thankfully, they are too robust (yes, F-A-T) to get up into the car engine (that and my parents rarely park in the garage, the garage is more a junk catcher).
Speedy recovery to Miss Luna.
Oh Charlotte, as a cat owner and lover I totally feel for what you are going through! First of all, let me say I am sooooooo happy Luna is okay. I am so sorry she is hurting and you are hurting. It’s really hard. Our baby girl Basic was hurting for about 2 weeks before she was diagnosed with a spinal tumor that was inoperable and causing her LOTS of pain. Unfortunately we had to put her to sleep, which was one of the worst days of my life because I felt so bad that there was nothing I could do for her. The only thing to do is try to keep them as comfortable as possible and let them feel SAFE… aka, no other animals or loud noises around. When cats are hurting, they feel VERY vulnerable. I know you will love Luna back to health and please keep us updated on her progress. Oh and give her a kiss on the nose for me… if she allows that kind of thing. 😉
Oh cats. I’m so glad she’s okay! I just went through a stressful time with my cat on Friday. He was playing with some string but when I went to take it from him so he wouldn’t eat it, it was gone. My vet gave me instructions for making him throw up; he never did. So off to the animal hospital we went. Long story short, they had to scope his stomach and pulled out four feet of string. At least it didn’t get into his intestines and require surgery! Moral of that story: no string for cats.
Confession–I have 4 cats (formerly 5, but one passed away from old age last year). I thought cats only did this in winter when it was cold and the car engine was warm. You were lucky–a friend’s daughter’s cat did this and the outcome was beyond tragic. Cats tend to get into weird places and weird situations, so don’t blame yourself, just be glad that Luna is okay. If she’s not eating well, try giving her some baby food–the meaty kind (beef, chicken, or turkey). This was suggested to me years ago by a vet and it’s been invaluable. I hope you all feel better soon.
So sorry about Luna! I ran over my Bichon earlier this year. He was mad at me for about 3 hours…the.longest.3.hours…and then perked up and ran outside to pee on all the trees. It is so hard to see them in pain! So glad your kitty-baby is going to have a full recovery!
Oh man. I am so sorry for you and your poor cat! This is reminding me of a very awful incident that happened when I was a teenager, and I can’t help thinking your cat is very lucky this didn’t end worse for her. I found the body of my neighbor’s cat on my morning walk after he’d had a similar mishap. I’m so glad Luna is alright.
Those are pretty funny cone of shame pics, though . . .
Oh its definitely a cat thing. They get themselves in the weirdest places. I was dating my then-ex-husband when I was a senior in high school and he was a college student. He was staying with one of my high school teachers. There was a litter of kittens at the teacher’s farm and we got to know each of the kittens pretty well. My then-ex-husband then moved into an apartment in town. I came to school one cold snowy morning (South Dakota, brrrr) and saw a kitten in my teacher’s classroom. I recognized him as one of our favorite kittens and I asked what happened. It turns out it was pretty cold and that kitten climbed into the truck engine. Imagine this… the farm is ONE hour from the school and in wind chills of probably -0? She walked into the school and then another teacher found her and asked why is her truck engine ‘meowing’. They went out to investigate and found the kitten in the engine. They thought it was one of the area’s kittens but it was actually the kitten from her farm. I’d know that cat from anywhere! I told her so.. and we all were shocked that the kitten survived. My then-ex-husband and I decided to take the kitten home. He never went back to the farm. 😉 He died 8 years later but his front leg had this tremor that started after the ride- which probably is from being stuck in the same position, terrified, cold (?) (hope the engine was warm enough though…), windy (?), and dangerous engine noise, machinery, etc… for ONE HOUR probably at 65-80mph. Seriously. It just blows our mind. He was lucky.. very lucky… small and able to stay inside and not get seriously hurt.
If he never climbed in the engine, I don’t think we would’ve thought to take him home with us so in a way we are grateful he came in our life one way or another. He was one of the BEST cat I’ve ever had and I has stories!
Sometimes really bad stuff happens with the furry ones. A long time ago my cat at the time parked himself under the back wheel of my car. It was the first time he’d ever done that. He was getting old and perhaps wasn’t quite with it. The carport was poorly lit and I never saw him, nor thought to look. The car broke his leg and he had to be put down because he was too old to deal with the complicated surgery. Heartbreaking. Charlotte, we can love them to bits but we can’t protect them from everything, most especially themselves. I’m just glad this story has a happy ending.
Oh poor kitty! I have heard about this happening, but fortunately none of our cats have ever done it. I do worry about things like this though. Glad she is okay!
My cat has had a few difficult times, but nothing like this!!
She once got a huge sore on her face, which I drained and treated with over-the-counter Neosporin. I had some liquid antibiotics but never used them. Another time she got really sick, stopped eating and drinking for a few days. I think she went into acute kidney failure from a poisonous lizard she ate. I practice the same rule with her as people, “The best practice of medicine is to do as much nothing as possible.” I just watched her, although she basically lived under the bed for a few days, and since she wasn’t showing any severe signs like falling over or being unsteady, I just waited it out and and she completely recovered! They don’t say cats have nine lives for nothing 🙂
So many words. So little point. Good luck, Dr. J’s kitty, here’s hoping you never actually develop ARF since I suspect you’d be left to die a pretty horrible death. Cos, you know, neglect is the best medicine.
The difference between you and me is I know what I am talking about and you don’t!
http://calorielab.com/news/2014/06/04/law-of-medicine-do-nothing-most-of-the-time/#comments
No, the difference appears to be that I know that benign neglect is not the same as pure neglect. I would also postulate that my masters in feline internal medicine gives me a slightly greater understanding of the diagnosis and management of feline acute renal failure than that of a human surgeon.
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Our kitty had to wear the “cone of shame” due to a scratch on her eye. She was so miserable. After a few days, we removed the cone, briefly, but kept an eye on her, to let her groom herself. She was so relieved to get it off, but then not very happy when we had to put it back on. But it all turned out well, luckily they have short memories!
What a scary situation. I am so glad you were able to get it out and everything is fine. Cats always seem to get in places they are not suppose to be.