Cat Saved From Car Engine By Detectives

2009_10_catengine.jpg

Cats do the darndest things—like hang out in SUV engines and wait for cops to rescue 'em. Seriously, an orange and white cat had be to extracted by Emergency Service Unit detectives when a SUV driver discovered the feline in the vehicle's front hood.

According to the Daily News, the cat had been in Wilfredo Rodriguez's Nissan Murano for a 2-mile trip between a Bronx building on Marcy Place to a Department of Buildings office on Arthur Avenue: "Rodriguez said that after he parked the car he continued to hear a rattling sound he had noticed during the trip. He investigated and quickly spotted the tabby's bushy tail and front right paw sticking out of the SUV's front end." The building super worried, "I said, 'Oh my God! I killed a cat,'" but was happy when the cat's paw moved.

He called 911, and Detectives Jeffrey King and Kris Cataldo arrived on the scene. They "freed the feline by removing the car's battery and several other parts." Animal Care & Control says the cat seems to be doing fine.

Email This Entry


Comments (18) [rss]

nice compassionate person. there is hope for civilization

Choking on giving NYPD their due?

Besides, it will take a lot more than that to save civilization.

I have to admit a little squealing girly whimper came out of my throat after I saw the pic on the left and then realized the kitty was okay. Stupid cat! When I was in high school my neighbor's cat liked to sleep on my car and I was always terrified it would climb inside the hood without me noticing. Or that I would run it over while backing out of the driveway. People really shouldn't let their cats roam like that.

For the record, I actually love cats but can't have one because of my allergic fiance.

For the record, I actually love cats but can't have one because of my allergic fiance.

You could always get a Sphynx. They are so cute in person it's amazing!

user-pic

That may or may not be true, at least according to wikipedia:

Although Sphynx cats are sometimes thought to be hypoallergenic due to their lack of coat, this is not always the case. Allergies to cats are triggered by a protein called Fel d1, not cat hair itself. Fel d1 is a tiny and sticky protein primarily found in cat saliva and sebaceous glands. Those with cat allergies may react worse to direct contact with Sphynx cats than other breeds. However, conflicting reports of some people successfully tolerating Sphynx cats also exist.

Apparently cat was attracted by warmth of engine block.

They called 911 for that, though?

You can cook a burger on a hot engine block. That could have been a shish-ka-cat if the guy was taking a longer drive.

I wonder if the fact that it's a hybrid car had anything to do with the cat not burning up.

It's stuck against the radiator in the first pic (assuming he got there shortly after the car started). It's not likely to heat up much over 2 miles in October. That part of the radiator houses the transmission cooler, which warms up even later. The biggest threat was probably the serpentine belt. It doesn't take much effort to keep an electric fan from turning.

The belt is the most likely threat, it will catch the cat's hair. Our relatives in Minnesota who don't have a garage and who have to keep the car battery plugged in overnight on those below zero winter nights, have learned to open the hood and flush out any warmth-seeking cats prior to starting the engine.

this is obviously part of some sick gang initiation. the investigation continues...

Poor thing, as if it's day didn't suck enough: now it's going to get a bath!

That is NOT a good looking cat.

Post a comment (Comment Policy)

Tips

Get your daily dose of New York first thing in the morning from our weekday newsletter, now in beta.

About Gothamist

Gothamist is a website about New York. More

Editor: Jen Chung
Publisher: Jake Dobkin

Newsmap

newsmap.jpg

Contribute

Latest Tip:

The Evolution of the Hipster: from 2000 to 2009
[more]

Latest Photo:

Subscribe

Use an RSS reader to stay up to date with the latest news and posts from Gothamist.

All Our RSS

Follow us