Kitten Found In Car Engine, Rescued By Mission Viejo Animal Services

MISSION VIEJO, CA — A 10-week-old kitten was rescued by the Mission Viejo Animal Services Center after being found in the engine of a car that had been driven from Mission Viejo to Laguna Niguel earlier this month, the center said in a news release.

Ginger kitten Sonata, named after the car she was rescued from, will soon be up for adoption at the Mission Viejo Animal Services Center.

Officers were called to the scene after a Laguna Niguel resident who parked her car heard meowing coming from inside of the engine. When officers looked inside of the car, they were able to see Sonata but could not reach the kitten.

Officers then set up a humane trap, which lured Sonata from the car within hours. She suffered a few minor burns on the pads of his feet, and was treated by one of the center's partner veterinarians, according to a news release.

"Although the incident sounds rare, this type of call is not uncommon," a news release for the City of Mission Viejo said. "Cats love warm places because they have a higher body temperature than humans. Stray cats, especially kittens, will go inside an engine bay seeking shelter to keep them warm."