Listen to that engine purr: Kitten found under bonnet of car by Shrewsbury driver
A motorist could not understand why her car was purring – until she lifted the bonnet and found a nine-week-old kitten nestled in the engine.
The woman had been having treatment at Pontesbury Dental Practice and after turning the ignition key heard meowing coming from underneath the bonnet.
On examination, she discovered the feisty feline and immediately contacted Malthouse Veterinary Group Ltd, which is based in the village.
The owner of the practice, Natalie Morris went along to the dentists where she found the curious cat recovering from her ordeal and contained in a shoe box.
And after knocking on doors and searching the area it appeared that the kitten was a stray who had curled up under the bonnet for warmth.
Natalie said: “I think the kitten got under the bonnet while the lady was receiving treatment at the dentists.
“The engines get quite warm. It was lucky the lady heard the meowing and that her music inside the car wasn’t too loud.
“The kitten was very lucky although she was quite shaken up.
“She appears to be a stray as she is quite feisty but we have been trying with her over the last few days and she is getting used to being handled.”
Staff at the vets turned to social media in a bid to find the kitten’s owners and more than 11,000 people have viewed its Facebook page.
But no one has come forward to say that the black, white and grey moggy is theirs so now the hunt is on to find her a new home.
“We have asked around and put messages on our Facebook page but no one has said the kitten is theirs. We will give it about a week and then we will find her a new home,” Ms Morris said.
Staff at the practice have not named the kitten - instead leaving that to the new owners.
“She is very sweet,” said Natalie “and we will be rehoming her later in the week.”
It is not the first time that kittens have been found stowing away under car bonnets. Last year a kitten who travelled for 10 miles from Brewood in Staffordshire to an address in Shropshire inside a car engine had to be rescued by firefighters.
And in 2014, eight-week-old Diesel was found hiding under the bonnet of a car in Madeley. Although full of worms and fleas the kitten went on to find a forever home with a local family.
