Cat keeps going under bonnet of vehicle

mikemac

We've taken in a young cat and her being cute, she's found her own safe little space.
It's under the bonnet in the jeep! She climbs in the wheel arch. She has even take to sleeping in there, I've lifted the bonnet to find her fast asleep.

It's gotten to the stage where it's check under bonnet time before you turn the ignition.

I forsee this cat getting killed under that bonnet some day, in a rush, distracted and we're going to forget to check.

When I was young we had another cat who did the same and he died the same way, nasty!

She spends a lot of nights up on the farm hunting and there are no shortage of places to sleep up there and she is allowed in the house anytime and sleep inside.
It's a bit of a hands off relationship, she's not an indoors cat getting constant attention.

She just has daytime naps under the bonnet, what can be done to discourage this?
I suppose she thinks it's safe, dark and warm under there

kildare.17hmr

is the jeep usually parked in the same spot? if so maybe try putting a small house there for the cat and try encourage her to sleep there instead? think they usually do it under the bonnet for heat from the engine

MsFifers

Sneak into the car every now and then and blast the horn! You'll have to give the kitten a good fright to dissuade it from that sleeping spot. You could also sneak up and thump on the bonnet. (Try not to let it see you).

I don't think I'd bother with the little house - tbh cats will always choose their sleeping spots and you can bet if you go out and spend money on something it definitely won't be good enough for Ms Kitty! As I have learned the hard way after buying more than one pet bed! :rolleyes:

Sigma Force

Keep the cat indoors, make back garden cat proof. Only answer, kitten down the road died after being horribly mangled under a bonnet.

fishfoodie

Under the engine is where the cat likes for a good reason, provide somewhere the same atraction, but better & the engine will get abandoned.

Usually the attraction is that the engine is warm & cosy (i.e. cramped). Try giving the cat the option of a small warm space nearby, like a cosy box with a heat lamp & they might move to it. No certainties, but most cats I've seen will swap one resting place for one a bit higher if its as comfortable A nice high shelf with a small warm box & a blanket that smells familiar is a good shot.

SophieSakura

I would put a little box somewhere nearby too, put a towel or blanket in there, make it as comfy as you can, and maybe a hot water bottle if you want. I think cats choose the warmest spot, but also the most comfortable and soft.

KTRIC

Do you have an alarm on the jeep ?? If you can activate the siren remotely every so often it should discourage her.

Also, need pics of cute kitty asleep

Master and commander

thats the way we got our kittle ginger kitty. A plumer we know well came to the house to put in a new boiler and shortly after his van pulled up, there was a cute kitty wandering around the yard.
He said his neighbours kittens are always coming into his place and hanging around his van. He said is wasn't the first time a cat was holed up in the engine.

The little kitty manage to travel over 16 miles in the engine bay of the seat van. funny but dangerous.