Cat Health – Winter and Warm Engines

By Dr Alex Miller, Ingersoll Animal Hospital Des Moines, Iowa Everyone likes to have a warm place to sleep at night. For many of you and your pets in Des Moines, this is usually cuddled together under a big, thick comforter. Some animals, such as stray cats, do not have the same luxury, so they will seek out any warm area that is available. These areas can include garages, barns, or even in the engine compartment of your car. It is the latter which is the cause for most concern for stray cats. They like to lay here because the engine compartment stays warm for quite a long time after your drive home from work. This area is warm, dark, and quiet; making it the perfect place for cats to spend the night. The problem comes the following morning when you want to start your car up to leave for work. When you start your engine, many parts will begin to move very quickly. If the cat is sleeping on one of these parts, they could be severely injured or even killed. For this reason, it is a good idea to make a loud noise, such as honking your horn or tapping on the hood/fender, prior to starting your car in the morning. This loud, sharp noise will scare the cats and will cause them to run out from underneath your car. This will spare them the potential for serious injury. If you start your car and hear a bang or any other odd sound and notice there is an injured cat coming from under the car, please contact your local Des Moines veterinarian immediately, who will be able to care for the cat’s wounds. Unfortunately too many cats a year need to be seen by pet drs in Des Moines for these types of injuries, so let’s “Honk to Help Cats” to help prevent these injuries.