Do you remember that scene from Bong Joon-Ho’s Parasite where the whole family had to evacuate their underground home from the flood?
Without dwelling too deeply on a movie’s philosophical themes, our point is – during rainy seasons, any wild animals that made their burrows underground will be forced to evacuate their dens for a new home.
Source: Mustsharenews.com
You may have come across social media posts about cats, snakes, or even monitor lizards hiding inside their cars from the weather.
When desperate, wild animals may be forced to seek shelter inside a car engine to bask in its warmth and tight confinement because they see it as a safe hiding place.
That said, do not start the car immediately unless you’re looking to rake up a body count (and a bloody mess) with your vehicle. But in case something is lurking inside, here’s how to get small animals and cats out of your car.
Read more: What Do I Do With A Flooded Car & How Should I Dispose of It?
How to Check For Animals & Cats Inside a Car
Can you spot the cat hiding inside?
If you suspect an animal or a cat is hiding inside, keep knocking on the car around the hood, front bumper, and side fenders until you get a reaction. Repeat this process until you have pinpointed where its hiding spot is.
You can use a flashlight to help locate the animal hiding. Try not to spook the animal hiding inside and make sure it stays where it is. Otherwise, it’s back to square one again if it shuffles itself to another location inside the engine.
Read more: How to Transport Pets in Your Car for Long-Distance Trips
There are a few tricks you can try yourself to get the animal out of the car but it will take some time and a lot of manpower.
Now to Get the Cat Out of the Car…
Use Some Food As Bait
Leaving some food underneath the car is a good start. You can simply play the waiting game for the cat to come out and grab it.
With the help of the whole family, we managed to get this kitten out of hiding. Yes, that includes this writer’s cat on the left too.
Once grabbed, a cat would do everything in its power to break free of your grip by biting and clawing your hand. This is where a rubber or a leather glove will come in handy as stray animals can carry all sorts of diseases.
If you do get bitten or scratched, get that wound treated as soon as possible and get a tetanus shot from a clinic. Diseases carried by stray animals are no joke.
Scare Cats or Small Animals Hiding With the Car Alarm
The first step you can do is to sound the car alarm to scare it out of its hiding spot. Cats and small animals have sensitive hearing, and the loud car alarm will make them believe this hiding spot is no longer safe.
While it sounds harsh on the animal, this is arguably much more humane than risking living in an environment that can get it killed.
Flush It Out of Its Hiding Spot
Alternatively, if it still refuses to come out, you can pour a bucket of water and flood its hiding spot inside the engine bay. Repeat this process until whatever is hiding inside your car will come out.
Do not use a hose to spray the animal out of hiding as you will rip out any intricate wires and hoses attached to the engine.
If That’s Not a Cat in the Car…
For those in rural areas, there have been reports of monitor lizards and huge pythons seeking refuge inside a car engine
When that happens, call the fire department or Bomba for help. They are well-trained professionals with the proper tools for the job.
Unlike cats, do not attempt to do this yourself as wild animals also carry equally infectious, if not more dangerous diseases than stray cats.
Unfortunately, we have to rehome this kitten due to conflicting interests among my family to take in a second cat.
To conclude, please take note of your vehicle and your surroundings every time the rainy season is here. Who knows, you might just end up with a new cat for your home. The cat distribution system works in mysterious ways.
Read more: Ora Good Cat: Why It’s One of the Most Important EVs in Malaysia
