Okay, now before you say anything, this was a feral cat that was found dead in the middle of the road. I could have just left him there and he would have been a cat pancake by the next morning, carelessly ground into the asphalt and forgotten. Instead, I took him home and turned him into something that could be respected and treasured for years to come.
Also, I believe that he was a feral stray animal and not someone's pet because he was not neutered, his ears were packed with filthy earwax and dirt, his pawpads were well worn, his claws were cracked and abused, and he was utterly flea-ridden.
Another thing worth mentioning is that any feral cats or house cats that are allowed to roam outdoors are a menace and a threat to native songbirds and other small, native animals. I know there are other factors that play into songbird populations but free-roaming cats are a large problem when it comes to preserving the numbers of our diminishing songbird numbers.
Okay, all that aside, I admit I've been waiting to come across a stray roadkilled cat for quite some time now and was very pleased to find this fellow in the middle of the road while out for a joyride with my sister. She, being the willing and allowing sister that she is, let me pick up this cat as well as a young gosling that I found later on on our walk and stash them in our trunk until we got home.
It was a little odd skinning such a large domesticated animal but I soon realized that under the fur and skin, all animals are pretty much the same and it became no different than if I had been skinning a squirrel or fox.
He doesn't have the thickest fur but he is a unique and appreciated member of my pelts. He does have very beautiful patterning and the most adorable little paws though. I've been trying to come up with an appropriate street cat name for him that will honor the tough life he led during his living days but haven't been able to come up with anything yet. And the fact that one of my brothers frequently refers to him as "Pumpkin" doesn't exactly help matters either.
Disclaimer: I did not kill this animal and disagree with the killing of animals for sport or fashion. If you do not like what you see, don't look at it! Also, don't bother wasting your time leaving rude or pointless comments here, they will be ignored.