There are several bizarre animal stories involving vehicle engines. One wonders why these animals would want to crawl up inside a car engine where they could be hurt. However, the animals did not know that. They were merely seeking warmth and shelter. If you ever experience any of the following, you should also know how to fix the situation.

Cats and Kittens Inside

Stray cats burdened with a litter of kittens in the middle of winter have gone searching for warm places to shelter their babies. Cats will often hide and hover under cars to stay out of the cold and frigid winter winds. From time to time, mother cats will also haul all of their babies into open spaces inside the engine blocks and under the hoods of vehicles. Here, where a hot engine continues to be warm for hours, the kittens will survive because of the warmth and shelter the engine and shell of the car provide.

Some kittens have accidentally been killed or mangled this way. While you cannot expect to predict how stray mother cats will act, you can start an engine and listen carefully for anything out of the ordinary. Mews coming from the heating vents or strange grinding noises from the engine should tip you off.

If you hear anything of the sort, turn the engine off and open the hood. See if you can spot a cat or kittens and attempt to remove them. If an animal has been injured by moving engine parts, you may have to call animal control. Then call for a tow so that your mechanic can clean the animal parts from the engine.

Snakes, Lizards, and Small Rodents

Down south, they frequently have snakes and small lizards seek out the warmth of engines. The problems with these creatures is that they can slither and slink into even smaller crevices than cats and kittens can. Their crushed remains can cause a lot of engine problems. 

Small rodents are just as bad. Not only do you have to worry about the rodents getting into the engine's parts, but you also have to worry about the rodents storing food there. Avoid leaving a car sit for long periods of time in the hot sun, which will deter the snakes and lizards. Also avoid leaving the vehicle sit for too long entirely, as rodents will view this as a safe space to stash food and create nests. Auto service shops can help remove anything that gets stuck in your engine.