By Kathryn Evans
I have tried to imagine what you were thinking as you lined up the sights of your air rifle on his body. I presume he was clearly visible, perhaps standing on a fence, his black fur silhouetted against the morning sun, the white patch under his chin clearly visible as he held up his curious head to see what you were doing – for he loved people and he would not have been afraid. He would not have fled until you pulled the trigger and the pellet sliced through the middle of his body, causing the catastrophic internal bleeding that killed him.
If your imagined task was to get a clean kill, well, you hit him, your aim could have been better, but your shot did take his life. Don’t imagine you are a good marksman though. He was a big cat, almost fully grown. A big black cat presumably standing still. A four year old could have taken that shot and hit. My son could have when he was a small child. He could have, but he wouldn’t have done, because he was brought up to respect life.
There are reasons why we shoot animals. We shoot them for food and because they are pests. I have no problem with the former but have always struggled with the later. In fact, I am the kind of person who does not blame the fox if I failed to protect my chickens from his hungry gaze. It is my job to protect my animals – though I never thought I would have to protect my cats from a person like you.
Why did you do it?
I assume you didn’t plan to eat him as his bled out body was left in our drive way for my husband to find. Although it could have been one of my children. I am deeply grateful it was not.
Perhaps you are a breeder of birds, and feel unable to properly protect them with a fence. Maybe that’s it. Maybe he was worrying your birds. It would have been no trouble at all to find out who he belonged to and request we put a collar on him with a bell. Or rats maybe? Perhaps you are a great defender of rats? We do have a lot of rats around here. Well sadly, you got the wrong cat because Pike was excellent at catching tiny voles. That was about it.
Let’s assume you did not do this in an idle moment to give yourself a bit of a thrill. To boost your pathetic ego. Let’s say you truly imagined you were a great defender of tiny voles and you decided you must take vengeance upon the evil scourge of the cat. Well let me tell you about Pike, the cat whose life you took.
Pike was a rescue cat. We had him from a kitten and he was just over a year old. He’d had a lot of illnesses in his short life, probably due to poor nutrition when he was very tiny. I had nursed him through each of those illnesses and he was starting to look like the young strong cat he should have been.
Pike did not know he was a cat. He just thought he was a member of our family. He shared a bed with my Labrador. He would roll on his back to have his tummy tickled and would climb on laps for cuddles. He would nuzzle my fingers, for I was a surrogate mother to him and he would try to suck them as a small child might suck on a dummy. He chattered away to anyone who would listen – he was particularly vocal if he’d caught a tiny vole. That was enormously exciting.
He would crawl under the duvet of my son’s bed, or curl up with my other cats, even if they didn’t want him to. He would insist on being loved. He sought out affection from everybody. He would have done so from you if you had not shot him. He wasn’t very bright to be honest, but he was funny and friendly and beautiful and he was loved.
When you shot him, you tore a chunk from the heart of our family. You damaged my children’s faith in humanity. You hurt us.
I know I will probably never know who you are but I know who you are not. You are not kind. You are not a warrior. You are not a hunter. And in case you didn’t know, what you did was a crime. The police are investigating, though I doubt you will be caught.
Of course, worse things happen. People break into schools and take the lives of children. They strap bombs to their bodies and kill innocent people. If that’s the scale you measure your crime against, I am sad for you. You are not a good person.
You are the cause of somebody else’s pain.
But you can change that.
Everyone makes a choice of how to live their life. Live yours better.
Sincerely,
Kathryn Evans.
PS To all the wonderful people who have shared this post, here’s a little thank you. Pike, A Short Life But A Fabulous One
Kathryn Evans is an author and farmer’s wife. She lives on a strawberry farm near Chichester, with her husband, two children and a host of furred and feathered creatures. More of Me, published by Usborne, is her debut novel. Agent: Sophie@sophiehicksagency.com
Kathryn Evans 
Well said. I’m so sorry you had to. xx
I’m so very sorry. Heart-breaking at any time to lose a beloved cat, but this? With my & my family’s best wishes to yours.
Have you shared to Selsey news and gossip? Let everybody know about this lowlife. XX
No – will do that now – have just sent it to the Spread
I’m so, so sorry, Kathryn. This is horrible. Who in their right mind shoots cats?? There are some sick people in this world. I’m sorry. Honestly, I have no words. *hug*
Poor Pike. I sincerely hope that your words are shared far & wide and that the evil culprit gets to read them. Sending you virtual hugs xxx
Most of us would have had a one word description to sum up our pain and how we felt about the attacker. Nothing as dignified as this. So sorry…
I am so sorry to hear what happened to your cat!!!!! I hope you are well.
Thank you – I’m just really sad 😦
I’m so sorry Kathryn. I have no words x
I am so sad, Kathy.
Very eloquent piece of writing. I wish one could think the person might see it. I hope it was a little bit therapeutic for you to write it. Made me cry too with sadness and anger. RIP Pike. X
That’s what I hope – you never know x
Seriously? So sorry for your loss x
How horrid and cruel. I would be utterly grief stricken. I hope they catch the sick individual who did this to your family member. So sorry.
Disgustingly sad. What a beautiful cat. I’m sorry 😦
I’m so sorry you have had to face this. Your poor cat. Thinking of you, and your beautiful cat, and the rest of your family who must be utterly devastated.
So sorry, Kathryn. xx
So sorry, Kathy x
Poor Pike – this is such a sad post. What a dreadful person to have taken your lovely boy from you so pointlessly. x
This is just awful!!! I can’t understand people doing such a thing! Our thoughts are with you in this terrible time 😦
Sorry for your loss, couldn’t imagine the pain your family have gone through, I’m only glad that Pike made it back to your home where he felt so comfortable, so you weren’t left wondering where he was. The person who did this can only be described as scum of the earth. Karma will get them.
Thoughts with you X X
Me too – it’s so horrible when you don’t know where they are. We’ve been able to bury him under a tree near a patch of bluebells xxx
Some people are just sick and enjoy killing things. Hope it was quick and Pike is waiting for you at Rainbow Bridge.
I am in tears reading your story as a cat lover we have four lovely babies I call them babies because they are we love them and will be devastated if anything like this happens to them. The bastard that did this will I hope rot in hell and if I were lucky enough to find out who he is he would hope for a quick death because I will make sure he suffers.
R.I.P Pike
Another massive – and okay, I am crying as I read this
That is just awful. So sorry for you x
What?! How can people sink so low!! I hope they find out who it was and they are made to read this.
So sorry. x
So very sorry for you. We have a rescued black cat that we love dearly. I can’t imagine your pain. Lots of love… Xxx
This made me cry, I’m so sorry that happened to your beautiful baby 😦
So sorry to read this my love. I can find no words, just tears and hugs for you all.
So very sad reading this. So cruel and unnecessary. I have no words for the perpetrator, but I have words of condolence for you and your family. Purr on Pike, wherever you are xx
That was so beautifully written. Thinking of you x
Kathryn
I am so sorry and share your pain. May Pike rest in peace and the memory of him bring you comfort as time goes by. My Bengal was stolen over a year ago and I miss him everyday.
I am so so sorry – I hope he is in a happy home – no consolation to you but I know you will worry about him so much x
Thank you all for your kind words. Am sick with worry this morning because Kashima hasn’t come home. It’s not that unusual but, well, you know…I’ve been out to look for her but no sign. Which is probably a good thing.
Kashima is home – was panicking so much!
I’m so sorry this happened to your beautiful Pike. I cannot say anything for certain but I know that there have been reports of cat cruelty coming from Chalk lane in the not too distant past. I myself found a shaved and starved cat there who didn’t make it after being taken to the cat and rabbit rescue. But of course there was no proof as to who it was. I hope you find them and the police take this seriously, although we can only hope that they finally learn what it is to have a conscience and respect life in all it’s forms.
Thank you – I hadn’t heard that – the police have done what they can but if you know anything concrete can you call 101 and quote crime number 0699 12/04/2016 – it’s just so horrible and I’m so worried for my other two 😦 x
So sorry to hear pike had to die in such an awful way.it is hard to understand how anyone could be so wicked. Our thoughts are with your whole family.
I’m so so sorry to read this. I can’t imagine the pain you are all feeling. I hope Pike is resting peacefully and I’m sure he’s watching over you. There’s nothing you could’ve have done, Pike knows this. Thinking of you and your family at this time x
Thank you x
I’m so sorry for your loss.
I’m so sorry for your loss, I no what it’s like to lose a cat family member x
What a lowlife piece of scum
I am so sorry someone did this to your cat. How anyone can take the innocent life of an animal is beyond me. I hope the police do find the person responsible.
Thank you all for sharing in our sorrow – I made a little film so you can share in our joy too X https://mrsbung.wordpress.com/2016/04/16/for-everyone-who-cared-pike/
I am so saddened for you and in tears reading about what happened to your beautiful innocent boy. I only hope that there is indeed karma and that the person responsible has something painful happen to him (or her) and has to suffer. So many cruel people in the world. At least the short time Pike had with you was filled with love and nurturing, which isn’t much comfort for you at the moment, I’m sure. I’m so pleased though that your Kashima came home safely, and not surprised at your panicking. With love
This is so sad. My cat was also killed in the same way a few years ago. It was shot by one of our neighbors. It seemed he didn’t like to see him in our garden next to his house. It was eight or nine month old. I have never seen him dead, and I could never really pass over this, I have waited him to come back for years even if I knew he was no more alive. He was the most friendly cat you could imagine.
I can not understand these people.
I know, I’m glad we at least found him. Heartless.