Storm and Lucky Cat

While we have been living in Huia we have been looking after Andrew and Jeannie's cat, Storm. Well Storm isn't actually their cat...Storm is the neighbours cat from two houses down the road. However, Storm decided that she much preferred to live with Andrew and Jeannie (securing her place at the top of the pecking order with no other pets residents) and she has remained with them ever since. The neighbour, Aleesha, works for the SPCA and as such has adpoted a number of pets along the way.


So you can imagine how we felt when last Sunday (4th September 2011) we accidentally ran over Storm on the driveway. Storm does have a habit of running down the driveway to meet the car. You then have to play a game where you inch forward in the car - then wait for Storm to run ahead before inching forward again. It is a source of much debate as to whether, if you just sped down the driveway, Storm would get out of the way or not. And we didn't find out - that's not how Storm got run over!


On the day in question we had just been to Avondale market to get our veggies and we were coming home. I had got out of the car to check the post and so I was walking behind the car down the driveway. There was a neighbouring cat on the property and I saw Storm trying to see the intruder off. Storm then came down the driveway to greet the car. Joel was inching the car forward much more slowly than usual - perhaps this was the problem or perhaps Storm was distrated by the other cat - but the next thing I knew I heard an almighty meow and saw Storm run/limp away from the car and round the side of the house. 


When I caught up to the car I joked to Joel "Did you just run over the cat?". "Yes" came the reply. Oh dear.


Around the side of the house I found storm crouched the ground and panting. Still alive = good, panting = bad. We carried her upstairs (she didn't like being moved) and gave her some water while we figured out which vets were open on a Sunday.


Vet found, we headed over to Aleesha's to borrow a cage to transport Storm in. You can imagine that went quite well. Knock knock "Hi I've just run over your cat - can I borrow a cage please". Not my finest moment.


Anyway, we took her to the Avondale Vet, who I was very impressed with. After two overnight stays and a few tests Storm was discharged home to us on Tuesday.


Cat sitter for hire anyone?

Licking her wounds?

Eight lives to go then...