The Lauderhill Fire Rescue in Florida shared a wonderful moment after saving a kitten from underneath a car. Little did anyone know then, but this kitten miraculously survived a 185-mile trip inside the engine!
A Passerby Hears Noises Coming From the Car
Images via Twitter/Lauderhill Fire PIO
It was a pretty normal day at the Swap Shop in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. The Swap Shop is a popular flea market in town known for its fancy display of cars and family-friendly shops. No wonder it’s a popular attraction for those who are pretty far away. Which is exactly how this kitten and firefighter story starts.
At around 1:30 p.m., the Lauderhill Fire Rescue got a call about an unusual sound coming from a car in the parking lot. A passerby heard the noise and decided to call 911. Think about this for a second – if not for this exceptionally responsible person, this story may not have the happy ending that came next.
When the first responders arrived and talked to the person to get more information, they discovered that it was a kitten stuck in the engine compartment. It’s horrific to think about what could have happened, even from the engine’s moving parts or the heat. Either way, it was imperative to take great caution and quickly remove the little floof.
Firefighters to the Rescue
Jerry Gonzalez, who is a spokesperson for the Lauderhill Fire Rescue, noted that first responders Jack Vandermeulen and Jamal Clarke were on the scene. After about 15 to 20 minutes, Vandermeulen and Clarke freed the kitten. As of now, there is no indication if the kitty is a boy or girl, but all that matters is the baby was rescued.
The Lauderhill Fire Rescue posted on Twitter about the kitten, and people just adore little furball. Some Tweets suggest that the department should keep the kitty as a mascot.
“Alright. New Firehouse Kitty. Keep it & name it Blaze!”
Blaze does sound like an awesome name for the kitty!
‘Nothing Short of a Miracle’
But this kitty has a different and wonderful ending. It turns out that the cat’s owner was inside the flea market! The owner isn’t sure how the cat even got into the car. But together, the cat, woman, and car rode about 185 miles from Lake Wales, located in Polk County. It’s ameowzing the kitten made it that far without any harm.
“It was nothing short of miracle,” Gonzalez said. “It was between the grille and the engine, and was, apparently, in kind of like a safe spot where it didn’t touch the engine directly. It was purring and happy when it came out.”
#Lauderhill units rescue a kitten stuck in a vehicle earlier this afternoon. #notjustfires #lauderhillproud #lauderhillstrong pic.twitter.com/LwTCYdKLzF
— Lauderhill Fire PIO (@LauderhillFDPIO) June 26, 2022
As we’ve said before, it’s common for cats to hide in car engines or in wheel wells. Cats do this to stay warm or stay out of the elements. This is more common in the winter. But a cat making your car their shelter can happen at any time of the year.
As always, it’s a good idea to tap on the hood a few times before getting into the car.
