So as the title explains, I found a cat under the hood of my car.

I was on my way home last night from work, when I heard my car meow. I was on the phone with Husband and said “There’s a cat in my car.” “Nah” he says, “you’re hearing things.” We continue our conversation.

By this time I’m on 71 north. And I heard another meow. “Oh my God, there’s a cat in my car!”

He still seemed to think that I was hearing things and checked to see if there were any recalls for my car. I said “I know there are recalls but they don’t meow!”

By this time I was in a fair bit of hysteria. “I’m pulling over.” “Don’t you dare! You pull off at an exit.”

I pulled off at the next exit which happened to be Rookwood. I pulled into the parking lot by Max & Ermas and popped my hood.

This is what I saw.

Under the hood of my car, shoved in the corner, was a cat.

I was hot and panicking. I’ve hardly looked under the hood of my car, let alone move things around and the engine & all the moving bits were already hot. I threw my keys and sweatshirt behind me and dug in. Just as I was giving up, a fellow was getting into his car. I’m sure he thought that I was some poor girl, looking under my hood, clueless. He wasn’t wrong.

I asked him to please help me. He was shocked by what he saw.  With some moral support, and husband still on the phone, I dug in again and pulled the cat out.

I wrapped it in a blank and started to get into my car.

At this point, two women were going to Max & Erma’s and thought I was holding a baby, in a blanket, in the hot sun, while I looked under the hood. I politely corrected them and told them the story. I believe the one woman would have taken the cat.

So I got into my car still panicked. What was I going to do now. Our regular vet is closed on Wednesdays, so Justin called another local vet while I called Mother. I’m not sure mom entirely believed me at first. After all, who finds a cat in their car?!

She agreed to meet me at the vet and Husband talked me through the trip.

I had already named the cat Oil Slick.

When we got to the vet we had to dig the cat out from under the front seat. This wouldn’t have been a big deal except my backseat is a pig sty. Mom pulled the front seat up and I pulled out the cat.

We had the cat examined, because of course I wanted to keep it. It was a sign that I needed a cat.

We found out that the cat is a she, all tests turned out well, first round of kitten shots & dewormer administered.

We took Slick home and freaked out the older two cats.

She wouldn’t eat or drink a thing and she was just beyond terrified.

We set up a little corner of my bedroom at mom’s for her. I left her in her carrier with the door open and she stayed there until about midnight. She started crying and I found her in the corner shivering under the quilt rack. I took her out and only managed to traumatize her further. I set her back in the carrier and went back to bed. At 4:20 I heard her crying again, only this time I couldn’t find her. I waited for mom to wake up and together we found her, hiding under the big console TV that is in the bedroom. Mom pulled the console forward while I’ll pulled her backward and we eventually dislodged her from the TV.

After briefly reading some articles, I decided that for a cat that was so scared, a cage should help provide the security and safety she needed. We had purchased a large cage a year or so ago when one of the older cats was having issues. The cage didn’t work for him but maybe it would work for her.

It is now set up in the living so I can be with her while I work. She has been crying non-stop since we put her in there. The good news is that she is starting to approach us even if she is terrified. Bad news is that she’s spent the past 45 minutes crying and trying to escape.

Meet Oil Slick

We finally coaxed to eat some wet food & a little crunchy kitten food.

This is our little escape artist.

Just begging to be let out.