A cat in Walsall narrowly escaped a tragic fate after being trapped inside a car engine for around eight hours. Nala, a blue tortoiseshell feline, suffered severe injuries after becoming jammed within the pulley mechanism of a red Peugeot.
The incident came to light when the driver noticed warning lights on the dashboard and smoke emerging from the engine while driving at about 8am on 16 August. Upon investigation, Nala was found trapped beneath the engine with one of her legs caught in the machinery.
In a desperate attempt to free her, the motorist cut the vehicle’s timing belt, but Nala remained firmly wedged. West Midlands Fire Service attended the scene but were unable to extract the cat, prompting an emergency call to the RSPCA.
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Rescue personnel found Nala’s body tightly coiled around the crankshaft deep within the engine. Despite the severity of her injuries, which included an exposed bone on her right front leg, she had miraculously not bled to death. RSPCA animal rescue officer Cara Gibbon explained: “Thankfully, the heat from the vehicle may have saved her life by cauterising the injury, ensuring she did not bleed to death.”
The rescue operation lasted over eight hours amid fears that the cat’s condition was so critical a vet might have to euthanise her while she was still trapped. Cara added: “She was in and out of consciousness due to the pain, but the team at RSPCA Birmingham Animal Hospital acted swiftly to assist.”
Ultimately, rescuers had to cut away a section of the Peugeot’s wheel arch before they could safely remove Nala and take her for urgent veterinary treatment. Her injured limb was amputated, and she is now recovering, though her condition remains critical. Cara said: “The injury on her chest is quite deep, but she is a fighter and we are hopeful she will pull through.”
The RSPCA has not been able to determine whether Nala has an owner or if she was a stray when the incident occurred.