IONIA, Mich. - An Ionia Public Safety Officer is being commended after rescuing a kitten from a car engine on the Fourth of July.
A woman called police after she was cat-called by an actual cat who was stuck inside the engine compartment.
Another officer posted a video of his partner to Facebook, guiding the kitten to a water bowl.
"They heard the cat cry out and meow a couple of times -- that was when she realized there was an animal in the engine compartment of her vehicle," Officer Chris Flanders said.
Twenty-minutes and a couple of screw drivers later, Flanders was able to get to the kitten.
"The cat appeared to have been in the vehicle for a number of hours and had traveled an unknown distance, but seems to be quite a few miles," Flanders said.
The approximately eight-week old kitten was exhausted.
"Slow to react, didn't want to stand up by itself, kind of got it back where the water was and forced it to take in some water and once it got some water it started to react a little better," Flanders said.
"Turbo," is now at the Ionia County Animal Shelter.
"He was definitely, probably on the edge of having a heat stroke because it's not typical for cats to guzzle water like that in an environment they're not familiar with the people," Ionia County Animal Shelter Director Carly Quinn said.
But with some water and some TLC,Turbo is back to his spunky self.
"He seems like he loves other cats, likes to be held, but he's going to be a more playful cat for sure -- I don't think he has any shy qualities," Quinn said.
Officers and the shelter staff believe Turbo did have a home.
"If anybody out there is missing this kitten, he's with us," Quinn said.
If Turbo's owner does not claim him within four days, he will be put up for adoption along with the several other cats and dogs here at the shelter.
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