Posted: September 23, 2008, 3 a.m. EDT
When a Cherry Valley, Calif., woman discovered a stray kitten in the engine of her Ford Ranger last week, she took it to her local auto dealership for service. An auto technician with Ramsey Ford dismantled a wheel well and parts of the truck’s engine to remove the 6-week-old stray, the Los Angeles Times reports.
The kitten was then taken to the Banning animal shelter, where employees named him “Ramsey” after the auto dealership where he was rescued. A volunteer with the shelter will care for the kitten until he reaches 8 weeks old and can be put up for adoption.
Ramsey is doing well despite the trauma of being trapped inside the engine — and driving the two blocks to the auto dealership. “This was probably pretty traumatic for a young cat,” said John Welsh, spokesman for the Riverside County Department of Animal Services. “It’s not uncommon, especially as the nights get a little bit cooler, for animals to tuck themselves in vehicles because of the warmth from engines.”
Welsh recommended that people who find themselves in similar situations — with a cat nestled in their car’s engine — call a tow truck or simply wait for the cat to leave on its own. Other options include banging on the hood of your car or honking your horn.