When they received a call about a stray cat and her tiny kitten, TNR Now rescuers could not have imagined the wild cinematic chase they would get into.
The call came from a local car shop, where the employees had spotted a feral cat followed by a kitten. Just one glance was enough to notice the resemblance and conclude they were a mother-child duo.
The trap-neuter-return team was quick to act and visited the shop the same day, bringing all the required equipment to trap the animals safely.
Catching the mother was quite easy as she simply walked into the prepared trap. Her baby, though, decided to spice things up. As Lesley Lee of TNR reports for Love Meow:
“He hid in the bushes where all the community cats sleep and hide, and never came out for the night.”
After taking care of the mother, the rescue team returned to the scene to catch the feisty baby and bring it to safety. Just when it seemed things were going smoothly, the kitten surprised them with an unexpected maneuver by hiding under a parked car.
Such actions can lead to all sorts of dangerous scenarios, so the rescuers panicked for a reason. As Lesley says:
“If he decided to sleep in any of the cars, he could have been driven away or got hurt if he was in a wrong spot.”
And he certainly was in the wrong spot, causing a headache for the TNR team. The kitten took refuge in the hidden and unreachable part inside of the rear axle. Getting him out without disassembling the car wasn’t possible.
Fortunately, both the rescue team and the shop owner were ready to take all necessary precautions to save the troubled kitten. As Lesley says:
“We spoke with the shop owner and he was very supportive about getting the kitten to safety no matter what. They needed to remove all the wheels the next day to do custom work, so the decision to save the kitten wasn’t hard. No one hesitated.”
The kitten’s hiding spot was so difficult to reach that both the tire and wheel panel had to be taken down in order to access him. After a carefully executed operation, the kitten was finally safe.
The little guy was in the carrier on the way to his foster home, where a new life chapter was about to begin…
The baby, named Xavier, got treated for parasites and was all set to start adjusting to the new environment. Yet, his hissing and rejecting food were clear signs of dissatisfaction. Teenagers of all species are pretty much the same, huh?
However, he soon discovered the perks of indoor life – delicious food (the more expensive, the better), cozy surroundings, and endless face rubs. Getting used to this was not too hard.
Xavier’s mother was returned to her colony, where local volunteers care for her and other feral cats.
When it comes to the little bubbly boy, he will soon be ready for his furever home. He is a sweet loving kitten with a hint of sass, just to spice it up a little bit. Perfect combination, if you ask me.
