Car Fan Blade Dangers

With winter upon us, I felt it necessary to warn everyone about car fan blade dangers. It’s not the only place a cat may hide, but it’s one of the most dangerous.

Later in this article I’ll tell you the story of a kitten the internet calls “The Faceless Kitten.”

I want to caution everyone that blowing your horn before cranking your car isn’t enough. I had a horrible experience over 15 years ago when a deaf white kitten had climbed near my engine. I even beat on the hood a few times and thought that would be enough to scare away any cat napping there.

I was wrong. Shortly after cranking my car, I saw a blur of white running toward my house. I chased down the small white kitten, whom I’d been feeding for weeks, and held it as it died. The blade didn’t cut it. The force with which it was thrown to the ground is what killed it. Within two minutes from the time I cranked my car, this poor feral, probably deaf kitten, was dead.

This story came to mind as I watched this video. I’ll warn everyone it’s horrific. The staff at the vet clinic who saved this kitten believes a car fan blade is what caused these injuries. If you can stomach watching this video, the outcome is simply amazing.

WARNING – VIDEO CONTAINS PICTURES OF BADLY INJURED CAT

Vet Tech Faris did an amazing job in sharing this experience in a tasteful way. A photo of this beautiful kitten, who suffered a broken nose and tear duct damage, can be found here along with the story on how it was injured.

This story does have a happy ending. Instead of euthanizing the kitten, this vet clinic chose to operate and perform a kind of plastic surgery on this cat. This poor kitty really wanted to live. It purred and wanted all of the attention it could get.

The kitten had to be put under anesthesia a few times to clean and treat the incisions. After healing, this sweet baby found a forever home and has a fairly normal face.

I try to stay away from stories with such horrible injuries, no matter how they were inflicted. This story is important. If it can save just one life it’s worth it.

Readers, don’t just blow your horn. Please take the time to really check under the hood and also on top of the tires. Cats also like to curl up there and may not get out of the way in time to prevent being run over.

If you can think of any other cold weather dangerous places a cat may hide, please feel free to list them in the comments.

Elisa

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Car Fan Blade Dangers

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Nov 30, 2011
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Important Message!
by: Kitty Novich

This is SO important, Elisa! Thank you! Last year, when I still had my ferals, this happened to one of them. We ALWAYS bang on our hood before starting our pick up. One morning, we didn’t. Hubby started the truck and I saw 2 young cats fly out from under it. I was scared to death! They were ok, though. But, I still saw a bunch of fur under the truck and we heard a loud “clunk” when the engine turned. I opened the hood and found dear Moby. I had to climb under the truck to get him out. The lower half of his body and his legs were in shreds. But he didn’t die. My husband is very sensitive, I would not allow him to get out of the truck. It was 6am on a Saturday morning. Not a vet in sight to help me help him. I live acroos the street from one, but no one was there. I had no choice. I had to take his life with my own hands… The hardest thing I have ever done. I screamed at Hubby to stay in the truck. It took an hour for him to die by my hands. Maybe it was a few minutes, but the longest I have ever lived. I screamed and sobbed the entire time, but I would not let my husband go through it, too. I would not let him see. I took his poor broken body and buried him. He was only 8 months old. Then I had to go to work… I will never forget.


Nov 30, 2011
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Always a fear of mine
by: Brandy

I have always worried about this happening to me. I thankfully have never experienced it, but always worry. It makes me hesitant to use my car starter.


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