Firefighters rescue cat from car's engine compartment

NORTH PORT — Sometimes firefighters rescue cats from trees, other times they're closer to the ground.

On Friday, first responders were called upon to rescue an orange cat from a spot it had found inside the grille of a car's engine compartment.

By doing so, they averted a situation that could have had tragic consequences for the feline.

"Station 82 B shift responded to a cat stuck in the grille of a vehicle this afternoon," read a post on the fire department's social media page Friday. "A cat-astrophe was averted and the cat was removed safely and unharmed."

While they were able to wedge the cat out, firefighters didn't know how the cat found its way into the grille.

The owner of the car didn't know either, and also didn't know where the cat came from.

Firefighters asked the pet's owner to contact Sarasota County Animal Service at 941-861-9501 to reunite with their cat.