I ran over a cat a few years ago. The cat didn’t pass in front of the car, but darted under the car and was hit by my back wheels. I didn’t even know I had hit it until I looked in my rear view mirror. I did go back and tell the family.
However, cats nor dogs should be roaming around, IMHO. We have laws in our city that forbid letting your cat, or dog, roam free. So somebody swerves to avoid an animal and hits another car...how safe is that.
The owner must take some responsibility. In our neighborhood if your cat is left outdoors, it could end up as a coyote’s meal.
My brother (Rural N.Fla.)actually got to see his wife’s two cats taken by a very large Barn(?)Owl. Two separate occasions.