Bourne family call for law change after two of their cats killed in Mill Drove within a week
A cat owner who suffered the loss two young cats within a week after they were hit by cars is asking drivers to slow down and show more awareness.
Amber French was still dealing with the loss of 11-month-old Shadow last week when she found out the tomcat’s sister Oddball had also been killed in the same Bourne street.
Both cats, who were from the same litter, were hit by vehicles in Mill Drove, just around the corner from Amber’s family home in Kingsway.
“It was traumatic – the emotion of losing both in one week, it was just ridiculous,” she said.
“Shadow and Oddball were inseparable, they did everything together and died within a week of each other.
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“Oddball was found just a few metres from where Shadow was.
“It’s not a crazy-busy road, but people drive too fast down there.”
Both cats were born on the day Amber and her family moved into their Kingsway home 11 months ago.
Shadow had been out for only a couple of hours when Amber, 24, spotted a post on her local Bourne Facebook group saying a cat had been hit.
“A couple witnessed the accident and saw the person that had hit my cat drive off,” she said.
“So they went over and put him at the side of the road and stayed with him until he passed away.
“It was really kind of them to do that. They were going to ring the vets, but there was nothing they could have done to save him.
“They posted what had happened on Facebook and Shadow wasn’t in the house so we messaged them and went to have a look.
“The next day my emotions kicked in and were all over the place. Then when my other cat was hit that got me even more. I still don’t believe it - it doesn’t seem real.
“My mum is heartbroken because she loves all of her cats. She feels like she’s lost members of the family.”
The family still have five cats, all of whom like to go outside.
“We did keep them in for a little while after it happened, but it’s so hard to keep them in the house,” she said
“Luckily the cats we have left just stay in the garden and in other gardens.”
Amber, who works as a healthcare assistant at Peterborough City Hospital, wants motorists to be more aware when driving in built-up areas and to watch their speed.
She would also like a change in the law to ensure anyone who hits a cat must stop and report it to a neighbour or a vet.
“I would like the same sort of law that applies to dogs because f you hit a dog yo have to stop,” she said.
“People always worry about dogs, but cats don’t seem to matter.
“I don’t know why people feel it’s acceptable not to stop or say anything.”