Tow operators remove vehicle's grille in a drive-thru to save trapped kitten

A kitten trapped inside the front of a Honda set off a rescue at a Scooter's Coffee drive-thru in Ames, Iowa.

By the time it was over, the situation had turned into an improvised group effort, and the kitten had found a new home.

Here's what to know

During a heat advisory, the driver was waiting in the drive-thru when cries from the front of the car led to the discovery of a kitten stuck behind the Honda's grille, according to Carscoops. Ames Animal Shelter was contacted, but animal services officer Kathy Pike could not reach the kitten from beneath the vehicle.

That prompted a call to Central Iowa Towing and Recovery, which sent tow operators Cole Denning and Jordan McKnight with the equipment needed to assess the car. After lifting the Honda for a closer look, they concluded that freeing the kitten would require taking apart the entire front clip.

"We both came to the conclusion that the only possible way to get her out was to disassemble the whole front clip of the car," McKnight said.

The work lasted about 15 minutes, Carscoops reported. Once the kitten was out, they reassembled the Honda, and the animal was treated and named Fika.

More background

Pike summed up that spirit of teamwork, saying, "Everybody was like, 'We're going to do what we can for this animal, and we're all going to work together and get it done,'" she told The Washington Post.

A trapped kitten inside a vehicle can face serious danger very quickly. In hot conditions, the enclosed space behind a grille can expose an animal to heat, stress, and injury, especially if the car has been running or is parked on hot pavement.

Animals can end up in wheel wells, engine bays, and undercarriages. In some cases, a distressed cry may be the only sign before the situation turns life-threatening.

Fika survived the ordeal, received immediate care, and has a future home lined up, according to Carscoops.

What's being done?

The response involved the shelter, animal control, and service professionals with specialized equipment. When one group couldn't reach the kitten, another stepped in with the mechanical expertise needed to help without causing further harm.

If an animal appears to be trapped inside part of a vehicle, trying to force it out without the proper tools can make the situation worse for both the animal and the car. Calling animal services or a trained tow or repair team may be the safest option.

After she is spayed, McKnight plans to take her home, Carscoops reported.

Where can I learn more?

Stories like these show how often kittens end up stuck in dangerous places. They follow officers, firefighters, and families as they free cats from engines, drains, rubble, and underneath cars.

• In New York, police pulled a calico kitten from a car engine twice.

• In Cedar County, Iowa, rescuers spent hours freeing a kitten trapped 6 feet underground.

• In England, an indoor cat survived a 15-mile trip under a car.

• In Mississippi, a storm chaser heard meows and found a trapped kitten in tornado rubble.

• In Hampton, firefighters used food to lure a trapped kitten from a storm drain.

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