Warning to Leitrim motorists as cats found trapped in car engines during cold snap
As temperatures plummet, there have been countless reports of cats being found in cars across Leitrim
With temperatures dropping this week, Leitrim Animal Welfare have issued a warning to cat owners across the county.
The animal welfare centre have received countless phone calls regarding cats becoming trapped in cars in Leitrim.
“As the colder weather sets in, cats often seek out warm, sheltered places to escape the cold,” Leitrim Animal Welfare said.
“Unfortunately, car engines and wheel arches can seem like the perfect hiding spot, particularly after a vehicle has recently been driven.
“What many people don't realise is that cats can climb into the engine compartment of a parked vehicle and unknowingly travel considerable distances from home when the driver sets off!”.
Leitrim Animal Welfare has offered some advice to people in Leitrim to help this issue:
- Check underneath your vehicle and around the wheel arches. Cats and kittens can squeeze into surprisingly small spaces!
- Tap firmly on the bonnet and beep your horn! This may encourage a hiding cat to move, but it is not a guarantee that the engine is clear.
- Listen carefully! If you hear meowing, scratching or movement, do not start the engine until you are certain the animal has safely moved away.
- Keep your own cats indoors, particularly overnight and during colder weather. Before leaving home, make sure your cats are safely accounted for!
If you have found a cat in your car engine, here is what Leitrim Animal Welfare advise to do:
If you discover a cat hiding in a vehicle, particularly one that does not belong to you, we recommend contacting your local Garda station.
Gardaí may be able to identify and contact the registered keeper of the vehicle using its registration number, where appropriate.
In many cases, these cats may actually belong to someone living miles away, according to the animal welfare service.
For example, Leitrim Animal Welfare said that someone may have travelled from another county without ever realising that their family cat had climbed into their engine before they left home.
By contacting the vehicle's owner, it may be possible to establish where the car originally travelled from, helping to narrow down where the cat came from and potentially reunite it with its family.
A frightened cat discovered in a car park, town or unfamiliar area may simply be a much loved family pet that has accidentally travelled a considerable distance from home.
Leitrim Animal Welfare said that unfortunately, they are currently unable to accommodate cats in their cattery.
“We cannot take these cats into our care at present. However, we hope that by sharing this information, more people will know what steps to take when they encounter this situation”.