Miracle rescue as cat survives eight hours trapped inside car engine

Nala is recovering after firefighters, animal rescuers and veterinary staff joined forces in an extraordinary operation to save her life

A CAT is recovering after surviving an eight-hour ordeal trapped inside a car engine in the West Midlands, before an extraordinary rescue operation finally set her free.

Nala, a blue tortoiseshell, suffered devastating injuries after becoming wedged inside the engine of a Peugeot, with her right front leg and chest caught in the vehicle’s pulley system.

Her plight was discovered at around 8am on Sunday, August 16, when the driver noticed warning lights suddenly appearing across the dashboard.

After seeing smoke, she pulled over, opened the bonnet and called the AA for assistance.

It was then that the unexpected cause of the problem was discovered, a distressed cat trapped beneath the engine with one of her legs caught inside the machinery.

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The driver cut the timing belt in an attempt to release her, but it quickly became apparent that Nala was much more firmly trapped than first thought.

West Midlands Fire Service was called and crews tried to free her, but despite their efforts, the cat remained wedged deep inside the vehicle.

The RSPCA was then called to help and animal rescue officers arrived to find Nala in a desperate condition.

She was drifting in and out of consciousness because of the severity of her injuries and rescuers initially feared she might not survive.

Staff from RSPCA Birmingham Animal Hospital then joined the operation, including a veterinary nurse who works on Peugeot cars in his spare time.

That unusual combination of veterinary and mechanical knowledge proved invaluable.

Equipped with the tools needed to dismantle parts of the vehicle, he carefully removed the wheel arch, allowing rescuers to establish exactly how Nala was trapped.

The injured cat was then sedated so the team could continue working without causing her further distress or injury.

Her right front leg and chest had become caught within the pulley system and rescuers had to carefully dismantle the surrounding components while supporting Nala to prevent her from falling.

After hours of painstaking work, she was finally freed.

The extent of her injuries soon became clear. Nala’s right front leg had been severely damaged and bone was exposed.

Remarkably, rescuers believe heat generated by the vehicle may actually have helped save her life by cauterising the injury and preventing potentially fatal blood loss.

Nala was immediately given fluids and pain relief before being rushed to RSPCA Birmingham Animal Hospital for emergency treatment.

Surgeons were unable to save her badly damaged leg and it had to be amputated.

Despite everything she has been through, Nala survived the operation and is now recovering under the care of veterinary staff.

She continues to receive treatment for a deep injury to her chest and the RSPCA says she is not yet completely out of danger, but rescuers have described her as a fighter.

The remarkable operation brought together the driver who first discovered her, breakdown staff, firefighters, RSPCA rescue officers and veterinary professionals, all working to give the badly injured cat a chance of survival.

Nala’s ordeal comes as the RSPCA says its services are facing growing pressure from the number of cats needing help.

The charity said it dealt with 1,752 incidents involving 10 or more cats at a single property during 2025, an increase of 67 per cent from 1,045 incidents in 2024.

Around 20,000 cats were taken into RSPCA care during 2025 and the charity fears that figure could be exceeded this year.

The summer months are particularly difficult, with the peak cat breeding season between May and September leading to animal centres and branches taking in large numbers of unwanted kittens and pregnant cats.

For Nala, however, an extraordinary team effort has given her another chance, and after eight hours trapped inside a car engine and the loss of a leg, she is finally on the road to recovery.

The RSPCA is currently running its summer appeal, “Your Love Can Rescue”, to help fund animal rescues, life-saving veterinary treatment and ongoing care for animals in need. To find out more or support the campaign, visit the RSPCA Summer Appeal.