Source: 星野慎太郎 Shintaro Hoshino (@naritahoshino) - image used with permission
“I cried”: Japanese road service staff’s kitten rescue drama moves Twitter to tears
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Twitter user 星野慎太郎 Shintaro Hoshino (@naritahoshino), a city councilor in Narita City, Chiba Prefecture, received this call from a friend one day:
"I hear a cat meowing from the hood of my car."
Even though we're already in May, Spring has been chilly and cold in many parts of Japan so far.
It's a well-known fact that cats and other small animals will sometimes seek refuge from the cold by hiding in the engine compartment. For this reason, it's generally recommended to tap the hood before getting into your car.
Thinking quickly, Hoshino and his friend contacted the Japan Automobile Federation (JAF), which is the Japanese equivalent of the AAA (in the US), and provides roadside assistance and expertise in other car-related matters.
A JAF staff member promptly arrived at the scene, lifted the car with a jack, and removed the lower panel.
Reproduced with permission from 星野慎太郎 Shintaro Hoshino (@naritahoshino)
Finally, a very small kitten emerged from inside! It was a newborn and it couldn't even open its eyes yet...
Thanks to the diligent search efforts by Hoshino, his friend, and the helpful JAF staff member who went above and beyond to perform a task usually delegated to firefighters, police, or animal protection services, a small but precious furbaby's life was saved that day.
Reproduced with permission from 星野慎太郎 Shintaro Hoshino (@naritahoshino)
In a follow-up Tweet, Hoshino suspects the poor kitten belonged to a mother cat he knew had just passed away. He thinks she brought her kittens to the car to seek a warm place and at the same time protect her litter from outside enemies. The other kittens were gone but this one remained.
Had the rescue efforts not been carried out, the newborn kitten would likely have not made it.
The kitten was weak and weighed only 118 grams (4.1 ounces) when it was rescued. It was also bleeding from cuts in its mouth, but after being rescued by volunteers, it is said to be regaining its strength.
The rescue story posted on Twitter went viral, and many people has emotional comments such as, "What a wonderful chain of kindness! "It was such a heartwarming story, I cried...!" and many more. Let's hope this little furbaby will find a happy home and never have to suffer like it did that day.
Other comments also mentioned the lifesaving tip about tapping your hood before starting your car during cold months.
Just a little extra step like this can truly save a life, so please spread the word if you didn't already know it.