About 4 years ago, driving home from work, just after 6pm, a dark horrible wet night, road is dead straight for about 5 miles, there are many out here, travelling at about 45-50mph and a dog runs out straight in front of the car. I just instinctively swerved right/left to try to avoid hitting it. Unfortunately car began to spin, tried to control it but I felt it was a losing battle as thought car was going to roll as it seemed to go airborne, but fortunately somehow it landed on opposite side of road facing direction in which I had just come adjacent to the kerb. Yep kerbstones in the middle of nowhere! Of course dog had buggered off. It must have been owned by one of the several houses adjacent to the road about 8 IIRC. I checked out the car as best I could in the darkness. The only damage appeared to be a badly knackered nearside front alloy wheel rim edge. I was seriously shaking. No one came out of the houses. I looked for the dog and on the next few occasions I passed but no sign. Oh well at least is was still alive. Hopefully it won't try the same stupid trick again.
Only a few days before a neighbour had told me that his brother had hit a dear on the same road, 4 legged variety, which had smashed in the front of his car on impact and such a lot of blood ....... and a lot of damage. His insurer said it would go down as his fault so affect his premium and NCD.
So sorry a cat died, but honestly if this happens do not try to avoid it as you run the risk of having an even bigger collision with another vehicle or spinning off the road and hitting something else.