“Did you know we don’t just rescue cats out of trees?” the Callisburg, Texas, Volunteer Fire Department posted on Facebook. This particular feline didn’t scramble for the brambles, rather she managed to get stuck under the hood of a Cadillac Escalade, not exactly her natural habitat. Firefighter Justin Friddell and Firefighter/Paramedic Chris Kundrock responded to the urgent call, despite being neither auto mechanics nor veterinarians.
The cat, named Limpy (perhaps indicating that this was not the first time she’d been in trouble), had stuck her head through a small hole in the right front fender bracket. Although cats can generally get through tight spaces as long as their heads fit, this was not the case in the Cadillac. The firefighters assessed the situation and determined that the fender would need to be partially removed to get her out. Captain Jimmy McMains brought some tools, and they got to work. Once the Cadillac’s fender was loose and hanging off the side of the car, firefighters removed Limpy, unharmed from her ordeal.
Cats in cars
We had a cat who loved to sit in the hood scoop of my wife’s Toyota 4Runner. (His name was Harley, and naturally, he loved sitting on our motorcycles, too.) I had to shoo him away while replacing the serpentine belt since I was scared he’d get trapped under the hood. Limpy’s ordeal is far from the first time this has happened. Particularly during the spring and fall when temperatures swing wildly, cats will climb into car engines looking for the residual warmth. You should check and make sure furry friends aren’t sitting on top of the tires or hiding next to the engine before you start it.
We’ve also heard of cats surviving a Maserati carjacking and a 60 mph ride on the roof of a van (no, the driver was not Mitt Romney). For two days, another cat was trapped inside a Boeing 737’s avionics bay. That’s pretty much the same problem this Cadillac Escalade had.
Limpy could have chosen a more appropriate vehicle for a cat, though. Our previous suggestions include an Aston Martin DB11, a Mercedes-AMG GT C, a Pontiac Firebird Trans Am, and a Porsche 911 Turbo. Any of these would be a great choice to become one of the cool cats.