NL

Couple discovers kitten under hood of car while driving

A six-week old kitten is lucky to be alive in Stephenville after hitching a ride under the hood of a car.

Cat was later sent to a foster home

This male kitten was found underneath the hood of a car in Stephenville, after a couple inadvertently took it for a ride. (Southwest Coast SPCA/Facebook)

A six-week old kitten is lucky to be alive in Stephenville after hitching a ride under the hood of a car.

According to a Facebook post by the Southwest Coast SPCA, a couple was driving when they heard a meow coming from somewhere in the vehicle. After pulling over, they discovered the cat was hiding out near the warmth of the engine.

"There could easily have been a very different and tragic ending to this story," wrote Colleen O'Leary, on behalf of the local SPCA.

The kitten is believed to be about six weeks old. He is now staying with a foster family. 

The SPCA is using the incident as a reminder for people to bang on the hood of their car before starting it in the winter.

Cats are known to hang out inside and underneath vehicles for shelter from the cold weather.