Miracle Kitten

[JfizzleBlazer]

I was driving to Fred Meyer on Saturday, and on my way back to the freeway to go to the gym, I see a kitten in the middle of an intersection freaking out. I stopped in the middle of the intersection and was contemplating if I should get out of my car, hold traffic off, pick him up and take him somewhere. I could see people were starting to get pissy, so I started rolling my car to go to see if I could see where the kitten went. I could no longer see him and assumed he ran away somewhere. I continue on my way to Bally's to go work out. Spent about 2 hours there, then drove home (on the freeway). On Sunday I didn't go out to my car as I was inside studying.

This morning I get a knock on my door at 5AM from a police officer. Supposedly my neighbors had been calling the police to report that a kitten was stuck under my hood near the engine. We went down to my car to check it out, and the kitten was hiding in a compartment near my box engine (I drive a Subaru). After trying to get him out for 2+hours, I finally pulled him out. The kitten has to be 4-5 weeks old, or else it is older and extremely malnourished. I have it safe in my house now (away from my other cat), and am taking it into the vet after work. He seems fine, just a little startled.

I can't believe this cat survived under my hood, in this heat, while I was driving on the freeway.

Truly a miracle.

 

[EL PRESIDENTE]

reminds me of this: http://www.snopes.com/photos/animals/luckycoyote.asp

 

[EL PRESIDENTE]

also, WTF did your neighbors have to call the cops?

 

[JfizzleBlazer]

Well I live in a townhouse complex. I was parked in an unmarked spot. I'm surprised they didn't ask the front desk of our community who's car it was though.

 

[EL PRESIDENTE]

oh. i thought they just didn't want to tell you direct. could have just left a note on your windshield. people are weird.

 

[JfizzleBlazer]

oh. i thought they just didn't want to tell you direct. could have just left a note on your windshield. people are weird.

They did leave a note on my windshield, but I hadn't driven my car that saturday night or at all Sunday. The kitten could have gotten out from my car, I guess he just didn't want to.

 

[EL PRESIDENTE]

yeah, they like warm engines.

 

[Wheels]

crazy! Thanks for the story. And props for taking care of it!

 

[maxiep]

That's amazing! Let us know how the cat is.

 

[TradeNurkicNow]

that is insanity. you're keeping the cat, right?

 

[JfizzleBlazer]

that is insanity. you're keeping the cat, right?

Yeah. I actually just got a kitten about 2 months ago. So I'll have two now I guess. We were planning on getting another animal in the near future anyway so he has a friend. We work a lot of hours during tax season and we didn't want him to be too lonely. Plus I became too attached to him when I spent 2 hours trying to dig him out of my car, then having to calm him down and cup food in my hands for him to eat.

 

[crandc]

So, what is the cat's name?

If only 4 weeks, is he weaned?

 

[JfizzleBlazer]

So, what is the cat's name?

If only 4 weeks, is he weaned?

I think we are going to name her Miracle.

The 4 weeks is an estimate, I don't know much yet. I'll be able to know more after I take her to the Vet in a few hours, then I'll let you know.

I'll try and post a pic too if anyone wants to see.

 

[jlprk]

And how about a picture of the compartment next to your engine so we can see how it got in there. So it hopped in when you were going slowly in the intersection?

 

[GriLtCheeZ]

I think we are going to name her Miracle.

Prrrfect!

 

[Eastoff]

I'd go with something more bad ass like, invincible or die hard

 

[jlprk]

I once worked for a company named Clawtuff.

 

[Denny Crane]

Duke or King is an appropriate name for a cat.

Anyhow, one of our two cats has a similar story. There were a bunch of feral cats living in the courtyard outside our office. One had kittens and one of those climbed into a 10" PVC drain pipe sticking up out of the ground. We could hear him crying, but he wouldn't come out within reach. After a couple of days of trying, we finally made a lassoo and got him caught in it so we could pull him out.

We took him inside and washed him up and took him home.

His name is Trouble.

He's 100% gray - his lips, his nose, his toes. Everything. It's sorta rare that a mutt cat has no markings of some kind.

 

[BoBoBREWSKI]

Crazy story. Props to you for taking care of the little dude! Looking forward to hearing what the vet says. Post some pics!

I'm not diggin' the name "Miracle". This cat deserves a more bad ass/tougher name.

 

[Eastoff]

How about La Tigre

 

[JfizzleBlazer]

Yeah after we found out it was actually a boy, I think we are gonna go with Rocky cause he obviously is a fighter.

The vet said he was about 4-6 weeks. He weighed 1.3 pounds. He generally is pretty healthy, he just was extremely dehydrated and had fleas. We will start his shots in a couple of weeks.

The more time I get to spend with the little guy the more I think he could have been a stray cats kitten. He's definitely rough around the edges, isn't potty trained at all, and is a little standoffish towards people. It's hilarious when he starts eating, he growls the whole time.

 

[BoBoBREWSKI]

Rocky! Great name!
Best of luck with the little fighter!

 

[Eastoff]

It's hilarious when he starts eating, he growls the whole time.

I know with dogs, you have to break them of this habit because they can do some real damage when a dumb kid starts playing with them while they are eating. But with a cat... meh

 

[crandc]

If he's that young, he may want something to such/chew on still. A pet store will have a suitable toy. Normally kittens are still with their mothers at that age.

 

[TradeNurkicNow]

I think the obvious choice is Toonces, given the connection to cars.

 

[Colonel Ronan]

Amazing story, man. Glad you decided to keep him. Keep us updated.

 

[Nikolokolus]

That's crazy, some friends of mine had an almost identical thing happen to them a year or two ago. Unbeknown to them, a kitten climbed into the engine compartment and the guy drove all the way to Camby from Hayden Island with the little guy wedged in there. When he got out he kept hearing this incessant meowing, popped the hood and sure enough there he was stuck between the battery and the firewall (totally unharmed btw).

 

[ehizzy3]

great story. are we going to get pics?

 

[MARIS61]

Lemme see if I've got this straight, 'cause I think I've already heard this story.

This cat is stuck in a hazardous, chaotic, possibly violent environment. He's heard he can live a dog's life in greener pastures across town and he's looking for a way out when he spies your car heading that way. He stows away without even asking you for a ride and sneaks into your neighborhood uninvited. When you discover him rather than send him home you pay for his healthcare and give him safe haven free room and board for life.

Sounds awfully familiar to me.

 

[MARIS61]

If he's that young, he may want something to such/chew on still. A pet store will have a suitable toy. Normally kittens are still with their mothers at that age.

Get him a mouse to chew on. Or a snake. Cats like playing with snakes.