Firefighter rescues trapped kitten from car engine compartment and gives him new home
A firefighter from East Yorkshire has welcomed a tiny new addition to his family after rescuing a feisty kitten from a car engine compartment.
Gary Hughes, 47, was among the crew members who responded to reports of the trapped feline in Hornsea on February 26.
The rescue proved anything but straightforward, with Mr Hughes describing how the young cat gave the team the “absolute runaround” throughout the operation.
Despite the kitten’s feisty temperament during the incident, he was immediately smitten with the animal he would later name Smokey, BBC News reports.
Upon arriving at the scene, the firefighters could hear miaowing emanating from beneath a car bonnet.
Mr Hughes managed to spot the kitten, but the animal darted back and forth within the engine bay, ducking beneath plastic panels to evade capture.
At one stage, Hughes briefly got hold of the tiny cat, only for it to wriggle free.
The crew then heard nothing for approximately 20 minutes before discovering the cunning feline had slipped past them and climbed into a second vehicle’s engine.
A Yorkshire firefighter took in a spirited black kitten after rescuing him from a car engine compartment | GETTY
When colleague Steve finally secured the kitten, he lifted it triumphantly in what Hughes likened to a scene from The Lion King.
“He then proceeded to wee all over Steve and claw him to death,” Mr Hughes recalled.
Despite the spirited feline’s protestations, the fireman knew immediately he wanted to adopt him, but had to wait to confirm no owner came forward.
The smitten 47-year-old said the kitten was “so small and lovely”.
Gary Hughes was smitten with the feline, whom he has named Smokey | GETTY
When Peel Veterinary Clinic asked for a name, the firefighter admitted he panicked.
“Smokey was the only thing I could think of that was slightly fire-related,” he explained.
Staff also suggested an alternative nickname, Spicey, owing to his spirited “attitude”.
The kitten is now adjusting to life with the Hughes household.
Smokey is being introduced gradually and kept apart from the family’s two existing cats.
Mr Hughes’s three children have taken to their new pet enthusiastically.
The trio “absolutely love him”, even though his daughter was “a little bit terrified” when Smokey began hissing at her.
