My parents live in Mayetta, KS, just north of Topeka; it’s about a 100 mile drive one way. One very cold day they came to KC for a visit. Dad is a little hard of hearing, so he thought he heard something funny in the engine compartment on the way down, but didn’t really think much about it.
After driving the 100 miles to get to my house, he pulled into my driveway. I was inside the house with all of the windows closed, and yet I could hear the most awful sound coming from his car. I really had absolutely no idea what could be making that sound…it was almost primeval. I went outside to greet my parents and found Dad at the front of his car scratching his head thoughtfully. I asked him, rather loudly to be heard over the screeching, what was making that terrible sound. He looked at me with a shrug and proceeded to pop the hood open. We both peered carefully into the engine compartment and saw a furry tail twitching just as fast it could next to the radiator. The noise stopped, and a small kitten’s head looked up at us.
As it happens, Dad’s barn cat had given birth to a few kittens just about 12 weeks prior to this trip.
Apparently one brave (?) kitten had wandered out into the garage and had found a nice, warm spot to take a nap. When the car started up, he was either too scared or dumb (I say that with kindness) to crawl out. So, 100 miles later, there we were, literally pulling the kitten out of the engine compartment. He was scorched in a few places, but otherwise unharmed physically. We were absolutely amazed that he had survived the muck and grime of the dirt roads, not even mentioning the heat from the engine and all of the moving belts and fans. (I know very little about engines, but I do know there are belts and fans!)
Dad instantly dubbed that kitten “Lucky” and provided him with an inside seat on the way home!
So now, both Dad and I always give the hood of our cars a good whack before we start it up. Travelers belong inside the car, safe and sound.
Kerry
Practice Manager
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