I killed the cat.

This was about 6-8 years ago. It was my son's cat. He was living with me then. Before you get thinking I am a "bad guy", at least hear this story first.

The neighbor kid was "kinda" a bad boy. Didn't have a father. His mom had many boyfriends. All drunks, all not that nice. Her son used to come over everyday. I don't know everything he did, but he always caused problems.

Anyway, he always played with the cats we had. He was always mean. He didn't treat them right.

His name was "Jeremy". Well one day he came over. The cat looked at him, and jumped on his head. The cat began to tear the hell out of him. He went running away and the cat followed. He was "all" scratched up. I am talking bigtime.

So the neighbors all wanted me to "put the cat down" (kill it). I said, NO. Jeremy has been doing something that caused it. I didn't do anything with the cat. Fuck the neighbors I thought. Several months went on.

The cat had a litter of kittens. My son so loved them! Jeremy came over a few times before the kittens. Then one day, he knocked on the window. The cat "freaked out". He came inside. I am not lying here, that cat jumped on his head and began tearing the fuck out of him. I went to stop the cat, and she went after my kids. I was trying to stop this "freeked" out cat, and yelling to my kids to go outside. Get away. At this point (it was summer, nobody had a shirt on) I could see all them bleeding (bad). All three of them. I've never seen anything like this. I was doing everything I could to get the cat away from the kids.

The kids finally got outside, the cat was after me then. I finally got the cat off me on the floor. I got my foot on it. I was "shaking" like hell. I made a decision right there. The cat was held down by my foot. I "pressed" as hard as I could to kill it. To me there was no other way. It was trying to bite me, trying to get away. If I let it up it would attack again. I pressed for quite awhile till it died.

It was obvious to me both my kids needed to go to the "Emergency" room. Both young, both bleeding all over.

When we got back from the ER, I needed to bury the cat. I did that. Then I wondered if it had "rabies". I decided to dig it up. I took it to the humane society. They tested it, and it didn't. I think what set it off was the neighbor kid mis-treating it. Ironically, this happened "Halloween night".

Would I do the same thing again. Yes, in a flying second. I feel sad though. It wasn't the cat's fault I believe. It was the kid next door.. no real parental guidance.. and when he was over he was doing "bad things" to this cat. Probably part my fault too. But in my defense, I really didn't watch what the kids were doing with the cats.

Just a wonder. Given what I told you (all is true) How would you handle it?

Gary