With colder weather comes snow, sweaters, and – kittens. We’re not talking about the kitten season, we’re talking about kittens getting trapped within various compartments of random cars.
Whether you’re a pet parent or an unsuspecting bystander, you might have witnessed a rescue or two and wondered what on Earth you’d do if the same thing happened to you.
Well, you’re not the only one. Every year, we hear a staggering number of stories featuring cats getting rescued from numerous nooks and crannies of a car engine.
When the car engine starts, things go from bad to worse within minutes. More often than not, the cat gets startled by the sound of the engine. Why’s that?
When the cat senses the sudden vibrations or the roar coming off of the car’s engine, she might fall onto the fan or fan belt and pulleys. She might walk away with disastrous wounds, bruises, blisters, and cuts. She might even suffer near-fatal and fatal injuries.
Why do cats seek car engines, then? Cats need some sort of shelter during the colder days and months. Contrary to what most people believe, the fluff doesn’t keep them warm enough when the temperatures drop. Cats are attracted to the warmth coming from car engines.
When cars are parked on streets, driveways, or even easily accessible garages, they’re a great way for cats to keep warm. Cats nap between the engine and the hood because that’s the comfiest spot – that way, they’re protected from harsh weather and hidden from predators.
Cats are attracted to engines because they’re dark and dry, too. It makes engines the perfect, handy spot for cats to hide in when they’re expecting kittens.
Now, you might think that a cat can climb under the hood and get out without a problem. When a cat gets frightened or startled, though, she might not remember to get out. She might try to run away, move further down the engine, and get trapped.
While that sounds dreadful, that’s exactly what happened to a kitten named Monty. Monty, an adorable stray tabby kitten, was hiding in a car engine when she lost her leg. What had happened was that the owner of the car started the engine without knowing Monty was there.
Monty got scared, tried to run away, and ripped her paw and a part of her leg off. Jessica Thompson, a foster volunteer at Northwest Animal Companions, took to Instagram to share that Monty was the newest rescue at her home.
She shared a video of Monty sporting a half-leg like she wasn’t even bothered by the fact she was hurt – she was smiling at the camera, getting cuddles from Jessica, and munching on the paw-licking treats Jessica was sharing with her.
“She’s the sweetest kitten ever,” Jessica wrote. Monty was brave and didn’t allow the circumstances to ruin her mood. She was happy that she was rescued from the streets and that she didn’t have to go back to the same spot where she got hurt. She was happy with Jessica.
Jessica assured her followers that Monty was going to get the care she needed to get better and that she was going to keep them posted. She kept her promise and posted an update two days after Monty arrived at her home.
Monty underwent surgery to remove the rest of her leg because she was developing an infection that was threatening to cause even more damage.
She wasn’t scared of the surgery and she was excited to wake up and proceed with her shenanigans. She was recovering from the surgery, but she managed to make friends with the rest of her foster family.
She wasn’t bothered by the fact that she couldn’t walk properly. She wobbled her way around and made everyone who saw her smile. She was a force to be reckoned with, for sure.
“She’s back home chilling with her foster brothers,” Jessica wrote. Jessica couldn’t believe the process Monty was showing within the first week of surgery.
She was getting used to walking on three legs, pooping inside the litter box, and running toward Jessica when she was carrying food – especially when she was carrying chicken nuggets.
Monty recovered from surgery and Jessica decided that she was ready for a forever home. She was aware that kittens with health problems, deformities, or missing limbs struggle to garner adoption applications, but she was determined to find Monty the perfect family.
She was always on the hunt for perfect families for her foster kittens because she wanted them to bond right away. She wrote, “I look for the best fit for each kitten. I want them to have a wonderful, happy life, I play matchmaker and sometimes I need days to go through adoption applications.”
She took the task of finding the perfect family seriously, and she didn’t want to give up. She managed to get Monty adopted by a lovely lady that was more than happy to take care of her, spoil her rotten, and make her forget about the day she lost her leg. We love you, Monty!
Read more: Cat Hanover Begs You To Bang On The Hood Of Your Car When It’s Cold
