Could happen to anyone. Don't beat yourself up.

Oh that stinks!
That is why kitties should be kept indoors!

I'm sorry the cat did that to you...wrong place wrong time...maybe the owner will learn from this.

I know exactly how you feel socks, and it feels awful. I ran over a kitty once, on a rural hiway. There was a house right there so I went back to see if it was their kitty and to tell them, It was theirs. They went out to the highway and brought her home to bury. They didn't blame me in any way but I felt so awful.

It's not your fault, and I'm sure nothing you could have done to prevent it, but I'm sure (like me) you'll never forget. Hugs!

That's a shame, but if it could run to the door, my guess is kitty may be OK. You did the right thing in going back to apologize, frankly it wasn't your fault their pet was in the street.

I think this has happened to more of us than you might guess, please don't let it ruin your day or week (((hugs)))

I've been there, and it's an awful experience. Mine happened in the dark, and I couldn't find the cat afterward. Let's hope yours will recover. I've seen cats (and deer) who are safely on one side of a road run out in front of a car because they're scared. Definitely not your fault.

I agree with everyone. Not your fault. I have run over squirrels, just horrible.
If she was able to dash back home, hopefully the owner will take her to the vet to make sure there is nothing internal or something that could get worse.

I know how awful you feel but it was not your fault. I'm sure the owner appreciated your going back and apologizing. There isn't much more you can do. I have a dog and on occasion (very rarely) she gets loose. Generally someone left the fence gate open unbeknownst to me. As soon as I am aware that she's out, I'm off to retrieve her. In the process, if she was ever hit by a car, I would not hold the driver responsible.

I agree, it is not your fault. It is a risk owners take when cats and dogs are allowed loose outside.

Socks~~you stopped and talked to the owner, that is wonderful. So many others would not;(

It was kind of you to go back and it was definitely not your fault. That's why cats should be kept indoors at all times. Maybe the cat wasn't badly hurt. It was a pure accident. The cat probably darted out the door. My Dachshund got out of the fenced yard a few years ago , and I live on a busy street, side street and alley and if someone had hit him, I would not have blamed them. He's tethered now all the time in the summer on the back porch. I won't risk it again.

That happened to me once... except it was my own kitty... Miss Kitty was her name. She would sit on a railroad tie wall waiting on me to get home, then jump down and run across the drive and be sitting at the front door to go in. This was an icy day and she slipped on the icy drive way and slid under the car. It was horrible.. I knew what had happened, I felt it. I could not even look, I just went in the house and called my husband at work. He came home and took the car to get it cleaned up, it was just awful.. a nice man that lived next door came and buried her. That was 30 years ago and I still feel bad about it...

I'm sorry this happened to you--will you be able to find out how the kitty is? Not that it's your responsibility in any way! I hope the owner wasn't upset with you, just upset in general. I've almost hit squirrels and it really gets my heart going--not fun.

Thanks, everyone. I appreciate the kind words. I'll think about stopping at the house but doubt I will.

dbfirewife, I had a similar experience, but I ran over our tortoise who wandered the yard and had entered the garage. I could not look, just went in the house. Later I looked from afar, and he was still intact. Took him to the vet who patched his shell with some kind of cement and he lived for years after.

Hoping your day got better. You were kind to go back. As others have said, not your fault and try not to beat yourself up. Hugs to you!

You are a good person to stop and talk to the owner. Accidents happen!

Interesting to hear about your tortoise -- there have to be some advantages to having to carry your 'house' around on your back.