Photo: Kathy Harrison, The Destin Log
"Your car is meowing."
That's what the note on Patrick Mills's car said when he came out of a movie theater in Destin, Fla. this past Saturday. Little did Mills anticipate a two day long rescue of a month-old kitten that had gotten itself trapped in his cylinder block. Here's how the rescue mission went down as reported by the Destin Log:
First, Mills contacted the professionals anecdotally known for cat rescue: firefighters. Their initial strategy involved disassembling portions of the car to reach the cat and remove it from the vehicle's guts. But the spooked kitten wouldn't surrender to her rescuers. Concerned passersby stopped to try their hands; employees from local restaurants brought tuna and milk to use as bait; but nothing did the trick. By nightfall, the firefighters had given up and the cat was still stuck. Not wanting to risk harming the cat by driving the car, Mills called for a ride home where he contemplated new ways to extract the kitten.
The next day, Mills called the other experts who logically seemed suited to help: auto body shops on the one hand, and veterinarians on the other. No one that he called was of any assistance. But finally, real help came from Tami Baker, who was volunteering in the adoption center at a Petsmart close to Mills's kitten-clutched car. Though at first she was as stumped as everyone else who tried to rescue the kitten, Baker ultimately came up with a solution that was simplicity itself.
She chased the cat out of the car by simply rattling a bent wire hanger in the cylinder block.
The cat, now named Lucky, remains in Baker's care while awaiting adoption. It's an apt name, given the kind cat lovers who were around to ensure her safe extraction.
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How thankful I am for the kitten, but also to learn that there are still Americans that care about others instead of just their selves
I had something like that happen once. A kitten fell in the area where the truck door opens into. There's a little space there, and when we tried to open the door, it pinched him. We tried to remove the fender, but the final bolt was in the space where the kitten was. We finally had to get a crowbar and actually bend part of the truck until the kitten fell out. He had been laying face down for a day or so - we think - and was blinded. We took him to the shelter, and they said he'd probably live, but he's blind for sure. We can't keep him because we have too many pets, but we named him "Fender".
Feline Friends of Destin saves the day again!! You guys are a wonderful organization! And I agree jw needs s life.
I WOULD SO ADOPT THAT KITTEN...W/O A DOUBT!!!!
Umm, a cylinder block is closed on each end. The cylinder head is on the top and the oil pan on the bottom of the block itself. How did a kitten use tools to get himself into the motor like that?
It was simple. He took one of the spark plugs out and climbed
in.The puppy then put the spark plug back in and connected the
spark plug wire.
David, I was wondering the same thing. How can a kitten get into an engine block? I can see if he was stuck by the manifold, but Ebgine block? That's impossible. It's completely sealed by gaskets and torque screws
Obviously you have never had a kitten. They can get into, on top of or underneath ANYTHING!! Three cheers to everyone that took the time to save "Lucky".
i like animals better than people sometimes. an animal at least will remain loyal to you and not try to back stab you.
I will always take an animal over a human being!! Most humans are selfish, self-centered, and devious by nature!! An animal gives love, UNCONDITIONALLY!! For the most part, humans put conditions on their love!!! I would rather be surrounded by animals, any day of the week, than to subject myself to the anger and unkindness, that alot of these comments portray!!!
O.K
Not true. My dog stabbed me in the back just the other day. He really caught me off guard.
If you have nothing nice to say about this story, why don't you get on a political site!
Thank goodness someone left him the note...it's a horrible experience killing a cat when you start up your car. Trust me on that... =(
Great point, Win. I am a cat owner/lover and the person who left the note really saved the day!
We have a "Lucky" who was a rescue too. He rule the house! Glad to see this Lucky is safe, though Cam might have been a better name.
As some one who with my wife has rescued feral cats and kittens, gotten them adopted and neutered at our own expense, I can appreciate this story. However I would pass any bum on the street corner holding up cardboard and not give them a penny and not give it a second thought. Humans can make a conscience decision to work and support themselves and their families, or not. Cats don't have a conscience, just a sweet warm and loving heart. As my wife likes to say, they are the cutest little serial killers.
We're not getting the whole story here. There's no way a kitten can get inside of the block of an operational engine.
Perhaps it has something to do with the fact that they stated that the firefighters took apart parts of the car the day before the kitten's actual rescue. As they didn't state just what that entailed, it's more than possible that they removed sections allowing access that normally is not available. I have seen on some shows where mechanics have done something similiar...as they are removing sections, it opens up areas for the kitten/cat and the race is on!
Tom- they are all lying... The kitten was a paid actor..It was merely a ploy to baffle you and to piss JW off...;-)