Firefighters Rescue Joyriding 

For as long as we’ve had cars, concerned parents everywhere have warned kids against the dangers of joyriding. One kitten in Opelika, Ala., however, didn’t get the memo.

A woman called the Opelika Fire Department the morning of April 18 while she was driving her orange Dodge Charger Super Bee because she was surprised to hear her engine bay meowing. Opelika Fire Inspector Bob Parsons responded with two other firefighters, and the crew attempted to locate the kitten.

“I was the lucky one who actually caught her,” Parsons tells Daily Paws. “It took us about 20 minutes. It wasn’t that she was stuck so much. She was just in fear and hiding in a little void behind the radiator.”

Because the kitten wasn’t really trapped, and in no immediate danger now the engine was off, firefighters just had to persuade the kitten to leave of her own accord.

“We had firefighters reaching in from the top and a couple more coming in from down below,” Parsons says. “We just encouraged the kitty to come out to us.”

Once she did, Parsons was able to corral her and the firefighters took turns posing with the lucky kitten for some photos.

Cats and kittens sometimes hide in car engines because they like the warmth and seclusion, especially when it’s cold or when they feel threatened. If it’s cold outside or you live in an area with a lot of outdoor cat activity, giving your fenders a knock before you take off can help keep the furry buddies safe.

As for this tiny kitten, she emerged unharmed and Parsons’ team transported her to the Lee County Humane Society, where Parsons expects her to go up for adoption in another week or so.

Whoever takes her home: Can I suggest Lucky as a name?