Dibbons
Well-Known Member
- Local time
- 1:44 AM
- Joined
- Nov 29, 2014
- Messages
- 4,992
- Reaction score
- 6,018
- Location
- La Paz, B.C.S., Mexico
My wife's 2001 Jeep Cherokee was blocking me in the driveway, so I got in it and started the motor to pull it back out of the way of my 1996 Dodge Dakota. As soon as the engine in the Cherokee took hold at idle, I began to hear a very rythmic "Meow ... Meow ... Meow". I turned off the motor and popped the hood to find a very straggly looking black cat (or kitten) sitting on top of the in-line six cylinder's valve cover.
Glad to find it had not been ground up by the cooling fan, and before I could decide what my next course of action would be, the animal squeezed down and away along the firewall between the motor and the power brake booster and disappeared into the abyss. I crawled underneath the vehicle and could not find the kitty anywhere, and although things were quiet now, I was not convinced it had run away yet. We squirted some water with a hose along the firewall and atop the transmission but found no forthcoming reaction.
I looked and looked everywhere without seeing anything more. Then the crying began again which enabled me to find the noise coming from beneath the six cylinder's intake/exhaust manifold (which one would not think would be enough space for even a small animal to fit). I began to wonder if the kitty had now wedged itself into a spot from which it was stuck and could not escape? I spotted just a tiny bit of dark fur (about the size of a quarter) in a tiny space where the light was hitting between the manifolds. I told my neighbor that the cat was there under the manifolds and he poured a cup of water thereabouts. After further inspection, I could tell that little spot of fur I spotted earlier was no longer there. I did not see the cat run out but hoped it had already escaped.
Looked again all over, but the cat had disappeared once more (or did it run away without us having noticed?). After searching for another good while, we heard the cries again. This time originating from the area above either the automatic transmission or the transfer case. But again, even crawling under there we could not physically see the animal with our own eyes. We tried sticking a plastic fly swatter in the space but it did not fit. Finally I was able to slide a length of rubber fuel line in the space and whip it around, but never seemed to make contact with anything. Occasional cries from the kitty convinced us it was still onboard somewhere.
I started the motor for about two minutes and banged on the sheetmetal, but no movement, just more crying out loud. At this point I gave up and wiggled my Dakota out without having to move the Cherokee after all. I left the premises and stopped by the venterinarian down the street to find if they knew anyone who rescued cats. They did not (recommended I call an auto mechanic).
I did not witness the following in person, but this is the end of the story as related to me later: My wife takes the Cherokee out and stops sharply before entering the street (cat still on board). She drives about 50 meters to an approaching tall speed bump and stops sharply before the speed bump (cat whereabouts unknown at this point). She decided to hit the speed bump at a slow speed but without braking, which she does. Then she notices in her rearview mirror the cat had already had dropped/fallen/jumped out and away and was now preparing to hide under a different vehicle parked on the street.
Glad to find it had not been ground up by the cooling fan, and before I could decide what my next course of action would be, the animal squeezed down and away along the firewall between the motor and the power brake booster and disappeared into the abyss. I crawled underneath the vehicle and could not find the kitty anywhere, and although things were quiet now, I was not convinced it had run away yet. We squirted some water with a hose along the firewall and atop the transmission but found no forthcoming reaction.
I looked and looked everywhere without seeing anything more. Then the crying began again which enabled me to find the noise coming from beneath the six cylinder's intake/exhaust manifold (which one would not think would be enough space for even a small animal to fit). I began to wonder if the kitty had now wedged itself into a spot from which it was stuck and could not escape? I spotted just a tiny bit of dark fur (about the size of a quarter) in a tiny space where the light was hitting between the manifolds. I told my neighbor that the cat was there under the manifolds and he poured a cup of water thereabouts. After further inspection, I could tell that little spot of fur I spotted earlier was no longer there. I did not see the cat run out but hoped it had already escaped.
Looked again all over, but the cat had disappeared once more (or did it run away without us having noticed?). After searching for another good while, we heard the cries again. This time originating from the area above either the automatic transmission or the transfer case. But again, even crawling under there we could not physically see the animal with our own eyes. We tried sticking a plastic fly swatter in the space but it did not fit. Finally I was able to slide a length of rubber fuel line in the space and whip it around, but never seemed to make contact with anything. Occasional cries from the kitty convinced us it was still onboard somewhere.
I started the motor for about two minutes and banged on the sheetmetal, but no movement, just more crying out loud. At this point I gave up and wiggled my Dakota out without having to move the Cherokee after all. I left the premises and stopped by the venterinarian down the street to find if they knew anyone who rescued cats. They did not (recommended I call an auto mechanic).
I did not witness the following in person, but this is the end of the story as related to me later: My wife takes the Cherokee out and stops sharply before entering the street (cat still on board). She drives about 50 meters to an approaching tall speed bump and stops sharply before the speed bump (cat whereabouts unknown at this point). She decided to hit the speed bump at a slow speed but without braking, which she does. Then she notices in her rearview mirror the cat had already had dropped/fallen/jumped out and away and was now preparing to hide under a different vehicle parked on the street.
