This lovely story on the front page of the South China Morning Post presents a great opportunity for letters to the editor in support of the action but perhaps pointing to the irony given some other societal treatment of cats and other animals. The South China Morning Post takes letters at scmplet@scmp.com
Always include your full name, address and daytime phone when sending a letter to the editor
South China Morning Post
November 28, 2005 Monday
NEWS; Pg. 1
That's no tiger in the tank, it's a kitten in the engine
Zhuang Pinghui
Twenty-four firefighters and police officers pulled out all the stops - and most of a car's engine - yesterday to rescue a trapped kitten.
They spent three hours removing the cat that had become lodged in the engine of a Mercedes convertible parked in Dragon Road, North Point.
The owner of the car had spotted the animal earlier under the vehicle but by the time the rescuers arrived, the kitten had managed to crawl under the bonnet.
"The kitten came from nowhere. It's very, very small," said Elaine Ha, a resident who witnessed the rescue operation.
At first two firefighters tried to free the kitten, but their number soon rose to seven, according to Ms Ha. The fire officers then told the car's owner there were two options: leave the kitten where it was and risk it being injured, or dismantle the car engine to free the kitten, Ms Ha said.
She said the owner agreed to the engine being dismantled without hesitation.
"It is a four-wheel-drive convertible Mercedes, a very expensive car, and he didn't have insurance for it yet, but he still decided to do it. That's the noblest thing I've ever heard," said Ms Ha.
The kitten was finally freed, uninjured, at 3pm.
The animal was then handed over to the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, which will try to find its owner.
The society warned it was common for cats seeking warmth to hide near or in car engines during the winter.
"There are at least a dozen similar cases every winter," Rebecca Ngan, a spokesman for the society said.
"I urge all drivers in Hong Kong to pat their vehicles a few times before switching on the engines. It can be a warning sign to the cats."
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Date: Mon Nov 28 12:41:53 2005
