Rescuers in England say a cat endured more than eight hours trapped inside a car engine and that the same intense heat that harmed her may also have helped keep her alive.
Nala, a blue tortoiseshell cat, was found only after a red Peugeot in Walsall, West Midlands, began showing dashboard alerts and spewing smoke from the engine, turning the situation into an emergency rescue.
Here's what to know
According to the Watauga Democrat, the trouble became apparent around 8 a.m. on Aug. 16, when the driver noticed warning lights and smoke from the engine. A closer inspection revealed Nala beneath the engine with a leg caught in the pulley system.
Cutting the timing belt did not free her, despite the driver's attempt. After West Midlands Fire Service crews were also unable to release Nala, the RSPCA was urgently contacted.
RSPCA animal rescue officer Cara Gibbon described the severity of the injury, saying, "Nala had sustained serious injury to her right forelimb, and bone was exposed." Gibbon said the vehicle's heat may have limited the bleeding: "Thankfully, the heat from the vehicle may have saved her life by cauterizing the injury, ensuring she did not bleed to death."
More background
As rescuers assessed the scene, Nala's desperate condition became clearer. Footage showed her body wrapped around the crankshaft, and responders feared her injuries were so grave that a vet might have to euthanize her while she was still trapped.
TCD Picks » Quince Spotlight
💡These best-sellers from Quince deliver affordable, sustainable luxury for all
"When we attended, we could see the true damage of what had happened and feared the only way we could help Nala would be to ask a vet to attend and put her to sleep in situ. She was in and out of consciousness due to the severity of the pain but thankfully the lovely team at RSPCA Birmingham Animal Hospital dropped everything to rush to Nala's rescue," Gibbon said.
The operation eventually required rescuers to remove part of the Peugeot's wheel arch before Nala could be freed and taken for emergency treatment. Her injured right front leg was amputated.
She remains in serious condition, and the RSPCA has not determined whether she had an owner or had been living as a stray before becoming trapped.
What can be done?
Drivers who notice unusual warning lights, smoke, or strange sounds coming from under a vehicle should stop safely and investigate, rather than assuming it is only a mechanical issue.
People in areas with outdoor or stray cats can also take simple precautions before starting a car, such as checking around the wheels and under the hood if something seems off.
In Nala's case, firefighters, an animal rescue officer, and hospital staff all had to act quickly to save her.
"The injury on her chest is quite deep but she is a fighter and we are willing her to pull through," Gibbon said.
Where can I learn more?
Nala's rescue is one of several stories showing how cats can survive astonishing ordeals in car engines and other tight spaces. These stories follow kittens and cats pulled from car engines, undercarriages, walls, and other dangerous situations in England, Spain, and the United States.
• In New York, police freed a calico kitten from one car engine, then another.
• In Galleywood, England, an indoor cat survived a 15-mile trip under a car before reuniting with family.
• In southern Spain, firefighters chiseled around a cat's face to free it after it got lodged head-first in a wall.
• One homeowner rescued an orphaned kitten after children took the vulnerable baby from its mother.
• A starving British Shorthair was rescued from the street and transformed into a playful companion.
Get TCD's free newsletters for easy tips, smart advice, and a chance to earn $5,000 toward home upgrades. To see more stories like this one, change your Google preferences here.
