Cat on an unexpected trip: fire brigade saves animal passengers!

Cat on an unexpected trip: fire brigade saves animal passengers!

On February 5, 2025, Martin Schmitz from Hamm experienced an unusual incident when he was on the A44 motorway with an involuntary passenger. A black and white cat had climbed into the engine compartment of his passatine unnoticed and accompanied it for about 60 kilometers.

Schmitz, who was traveling with his company car after a work in Rüthen, initially had technical problems because the car did not start. During the later review of the engine, he discovered the frightened cat that had hidden behind the engine. Despite his efforts to lure out the animal, the cat initially remained unexpected and only showed again when Schmitz stopped at another stop at the clinic in Olsberg after a trip of 20 kilometers.

animal rescue on site

To secure the animal safely, you decided to drive to a nearby VW workshop with a lift. After replacing a sheet, the emergency services found the cat that had settled on the exhaust pipe. Fortunately, the cat had no recognizable injuries or burns.

The consequences of the rescue

After the fire brigade successfully secured the cat, she was brought to Brilon in an animal sanctuary. Martin Schmitz decided not to keep the animal because he suffers from a cat hair allergy. This is reminiscent of a similar incident in 2023, in which a hangover named "Gucio" accidentally drove from Berlin to Wuppertal and finally returned.

The situation in which the cat was located is not uncommon. The fire brigade regularly carries out animal rescues that range from the liberation of injured animals to missions such as "cat on the tree". Such operations are free of charge if they serve the avert acute danger of life, with other rescue activities into account, such as "https://www.feuerwehr-uB.de/normen-recht-wissen/katze-in-gefahr-fakten-zur-tierrettung/" Feuerwehr-ub.de

cats sometimes bring themselves into dangerous layers by looking for refuge in rims, engine rooms or drain pipes. Their unpredictable reaction in stressful situations requires special caution from the emergency services. Firefighters often have to be careful when they work with the animals at heights of 20 meters.

The incident with Martin Schmitz not only illustrates the dangers that animals are exposed to in urban environments, but also the important role of the fire brigade in animal rescue and the protection of life - both humans and animals.

Overall, this case shows how important cooperation between citizens and emergency services is in order to ensure the welfare of animals even in unusual situations. The history of this cat could inspire many other passengers and draw attention to the challenges of animal rescue.

For more information on the corresponding operations of the fire brigade, visit Wa.de. .