CAT / KITTEN PROOFING CAR
 

I have a serious issue, and need to cat proof somehow, over the weekend did a 45 minute drive on motorway and in urbans area, and stopped off at a store , then kitten appeared out from under the X5 (in one piece) , same thing has happened today it hitched a ride with me to work and I was notified by colleagues who I had told story a few days ago...PS kitten is my daughters

This actually happens more than you expect. Usually the cat gets out from under the car when you start it. You'd have to use some kind of screening to block off all the suspension. Certain cars have enough space for animals in the undertrays, especially trucks and SUVs, and sometimes they go there because it's warm and secluded.


Usually though, I would think old BMWs leak so much that the cats would prefer to avoid the mess.

This will probably only happen seven more times....

:bustingup

mothballs & peppermint work OK
 

I have 7-10 semi-feral cats on my property, that I feed and they remain here, year-round. There are occasional "guest" cats from neighbors' houses, but all are welcome. We used to have a snake problem, but with cats and chickens about, we haven't seen any in almost 8 years.

We trap and neuter new ones, before they breed, but if they do, we care for them and neuter them as soon as feasible, maintaining the population.

Before the cat colony becacme stabilized, we'd get kittens underhood once in awhile, but we'd honk the horn and they'd leave...until one of the kittens was born deaf. So, until he was too big to play underhood, I'd open the hoodto look for him (on all cars, including my wife's, which became a chore).

Since I use mothballs underhood to discourage rodents, I started placing more packets in more places, which seemed to work better. I switched to using "peppermint" packets. I haven't had any kittens out there in over two years now, so no worries.

believe it or not, one leak has started to appear after all these years , around the seal that mates with the cap of the power steering fluid reservoir

Good think although not sure I can still get the really stinky napthalene mothballs in stores anymore, and have a feeling the car interior would stink up too , seeing as the interior smells of cats when you turn on the vent system inside....

Managed to coax the little sucker out this morning, shut it indoors till i left with car.....

I’d say get a dog or two, but cats punch way above their weight when it comes to self defense. My older dog just leaves them alone now as he’s been hammered over the years by a few cats, but my younger one is super sharp on anything with fur and can’t help himself. The match would eventually go to him, I think, but he’d pay a serious price.

Cut a long story short this kitten wont learn, already have run it over and it was limp from the 'waist down' vanished and after a few days was backup and running, it has no fear of bigger cats or dogs which maybe its undoing....but believe me where I am the cat to people ratio we are outnumbered....its nuts....