Kitten stuck in car hood rescued in 4-hour operation

Dubai: A stray kitten precariously stuck in the hood of a car in Dubai Internet City on Monday was rescued in a four-hour operation by a team of Dubai Civil Defence officials after a resident passing by dialed for help.

Rawan Al Alool, an IT professional working in the predominantly business district, told Gulf News she was walking past the vehicle with a colleague around 10am when they heard the cries of a cat. “Some labourers in the vicinity told us they had been hearing the cries for a couple of hours but did not know where it was coming from. As we tried to look around, we realised it originated from the hood of a sedan parked on the street.”

Rawan said her first instinct was to find the car’s owner. “So I called 999, then 997 and explained the problem. I provided the emergency services the car’s number plate details. Within minutes, they had contacted the car’s owner who arrived on the scene and opened the hood. To our dismay, we found there was a little kitten tucked away in a tight corner. Her neck seemed to be badly stuck and she was unable to move.”

Rawan said she called 997 again to inform Civil Defence that the stray had been located but could not be freed.

“Within 10 minutes, two officers from the department drove down to the spot. As Operation Rescue began, they found they had a huge challenge on hand as they had to pull out the kitten without injuring her or damaging the car.”

She said the officers even called for additional help as they felt they required more tools. Soon, another Civil Defence vehicle with two-three more officials and the necessary tools arrived.

As she and other spectators stood watching in awe, the team went about their task with utmost care. “They were finally able to pull out the black and white kitten by 1pm, she said.

For rawan, the entire experience was very heartening. She said she saluted the Civil Defence for their professionalism, compassion and care. “It was admirable how seriously they took my request and acted on it,” she added.

Cats in engine bays

Cats getting stuck in engine bays is not uncommon. The problem is more pronounced during the winter months as these creatures snuggle into vehicle hoods and wheel wells to seek shelter and warmth. So motorists are advised to walk around the car to check the wheel wells and under the hood, even blow the horn, so they can allow the cats to escape.