Let the cat out of the . . . car engine
I AM happy that Rosie the cat is no worse for wear after a five-mile round trip under the bonnet of a neighbour’s Vauxhall Astra on the school run (Mail).
Why do pets sneak into cars?
A few years ago, I drove eight miles with a cat trapped under my car. Each time I slowed down, I heard meowing, but I thought it was one of my cats hiding inside the car.
It was only when I stopped that I realised my neighbour’s ginger tom was sitting on the petrol tank. His head was caught under the fuel hose, which was the only thing holding him in place. Fortunately, I was near a petrol station with a service pit and the kind mechanics managed to release him. mArGArET BOLTON, ringmer, E. Sussex. MY CAT Sam once hid in my car engine. I went to work, which was only a mile away, and parked in the company car park.
When I was ready to go home, one of my workmates told me they had seen a cat under my car. I had a look but couldn’t see anything, so got in the car and started the engine. That’s when I heard the meowing. I lifted the bonnet and saw my black cat in a space at the back of the engine. The story and a photo ended up on the front page of the local newspaper.
When another cat was a kitten, she used to sleep overnight in my partner’s car engine. When he started the car in the morning, she would stroll out, stretching. He nearly ran her over a couple of times.
He lifted the bonnet and the engine was covered in fur. Luckily, she eventually got too big to squeeze in and stopped sleeping there.
CHRISTINE HOBDAY, Lincoln.
I HAVE just released back into the wild a full-grown cock pheasant that was trapped for three days in the cramped space behind the air intake grill of my electric car.
He had survived the car hitting him at 55 mph, but the impact forced him through the 2 in slot and trapped him in the space behind.
Unable to release him, we drove
70 miles back home and had to wait for garage mechanics to dismantle the front of the car and free him.
He was fit, well and lively so we let him go in the local country park. He flew off without a second glance.
HILARY ROBINSON, Shafton, S. Yorks.