Firefighters rescue cat stuck in car engine

UNITED KINGDOM -- When an engine purrs, it's usually seen as a good thing. 

But in this instance it nearly spelled disaster after a cat became wedged inside a van and began mewing in distress.

The black and white moggy was discovered by Annalise Smith and her six-year-old daughter Kayla, when they heard a meowing sound as she walked up her drive, at their home in Swansea.

She was later suddenly struck with the awful thought that the cat was stuck inside her husband Paul’s van engine.

Mrs Smith said: 'My husband took the van out on Monday morning - the cat is lucky he’s not toast. That could have killed him.'

 

She added: 'I had come home with my daughter and as I walked up the drive I heard a meow and couldn’t quite figure out where it was coming from.

'I thought the cat was at the neighbour’s house at first but then I realised the noise was definitely coming from my husband’s van. I looked under the van but still no cat and I looked inside on the seating area and there was no cat but it still sounded like the animal was very close.'

She added: 'I told my husband I think there’s a cat in your engine. Low and behold there was the cat stuck in the engine, it’s head was lodged in an awkward position all we could see was its bottom.'

Mrs Smith said she alerted the RSPCA but said she was told to phone the fire brigade to stage a cat rescue after trying to take bits off the van to try and free him.

They then dismantled the vehicle to rescue the unlucky pet.

'They started taking bits out and they did manage to get the cat out of the engine,' she added.

'He was smothered in oil. My daughter was waiting next to the firemen to put him in a box.

'We took him into the garden and gave him milk, the cat was very different towards my daughter and he was very affectionate.'

The cat is believed to be 10 years old and was wearing a flea collar and is currently being cared for by a vet.

Steps were being taken yesterday to clear the engine oil from its fur.

Mrs Smith added: 'He was a vulnerable little thing. I have to admit the fire service were absolutely great. I just hope he gets back to his real family.'

(Daily Mail - Aug 21 2013)