Kitten rescued
by Melbourne firefighters after 25km ride stuck inside car
engine
MELBOURNE - A five-week-old stray kitten had to be rescued by
Melbourne firefighters after surviving a 25km ordeal stuck inside a
car engine.
The feline, nicknamed "Honda", climbed into the front area of
the car before the owner drove to work from Deer Park to Parkville
in Melbourne with the unexpected passenger in tow, ABC News
Australia reported.
When the driver began her return trip 12 hours later, she heard
meowing coming from the engine and drove to the Lort Smith Animal
Hospital in North Melbourne.
A crew from the Melbourne Metropolitan Fire Brigade (MFB) was
then called in to rescue the kitten from behind the front grille on
Tuesday (May 17) .
On its Facebook page, MFB said it was "well purr-pared for this
slightly hairy rescue". Armed with torches, a toolbox and wearing
gloves, officers took more than one hour to locate and extricate
the kitten.
However, firefighter Sam Jennens told ABC the feline stowaway
was not too happy to be rescued, noting that "we came out with a
few bites and scratches".
"The call came through the cat was stuck behind the radiator,
but when we got there we didn't even know whether it was still in
there or not because we couldn't hear it anymore," he said.
"The car owner did all the right things and it was lucky the car
was parked at the animal hospital because they had a team around
the car ready with a box and towels, ready to grab the cat in case
it tried to run away."
Mr Jennens expressed surprise at how the kitten survived the
trip: "I'd say this cat has used up one of its nine lives, that's
for sure."
A Lort Smith spokesman said Honda escaped with minor burns and
has since been reunited with its mother.
"Despite having travelled from Deer Park to Parkville stuck in
the engine of the car and then spending another eight or nine hours
in the car… Honda was in surprisingly good condition," the hospital
said in a statement.
"He sustained minor burns to the back paw pads which were
treated and pain relief was provided.
"He was also very hungry and enjoyed a big bowl of food before
being released."
-- ST