Tow-Truck Workers Dismantled a Car to Rescue Fika the Kitten From Its Grille
Edited by Scoop for theTailed Editorial Desk Published
The quickest route through a drive-through became a full vehicle-disassembly job when workers discovered a kitten lodged behind the grille.
A tow call usually begins with a vehicle that will not move. This one began with a vehicle that absolutely should not move because a kitten was inside its front end.
The Washington Post reported on 5 August that Iowa tow workers dismantled parts of the car to free the overheated kitten, later named Fika.
The rescue travelled because of the ingenuity involved, but its practical value is simpler: stop the vehicle, control the scene and dismantle patiently rather than pulling blindly.
What happened
Fika was found with a fever and a blistered paw but was otherwise reported to be recovering in the care of Ames Animal Shelter.
Workers removed components to create a safe exit. The account does not establish how or where the kitten first entered the vehicle.
Why it matters
Small animals can fit into spaces that look mechanically sealed. Heat from weather and vehicle components can turn entrapment into an urgent medical problem.
Specialist help may be needed because sharp edges, airbags, fans, belts and hot surfaces create risks for the animal and rescuer.
What the story cannot prove
Do not use food to lure an animal across traffic or switch on the engine to encourage movement. Both can worsen the danger.
Even a walking kitten can have burns, dehydration or internal injury after entrapment. Shelter or veterinary assessment remains important.
The useful takeaway
If an animal is trapped, keep the vehicle off, mark the location, call appropriate local help and prepare a ventilated carrier before creating an exit.
Fika left the grille with a Swedish coffee-break name. The tow team had already earned theirs.
Read the original material
Open the primary records behind this story to check the latest wording, dates and updates directly at source.
FROM THETAILED
For the smallest passenger with the biggest repair bill.
Give the rescued face pride of place on a personalised theTailed T-shirt.
Sources and update record
Last checked: 19 August 2026 · No corrections recorded.
