Stray kitty cat hiding behind dashboard

JONSOLOW13

MEMBER
2014 MAZDA 5
2.5L
4 CYL
2WD
AUTOMATIC
225,000 MILES

Hard to believe but we have a stray (feral) cat hiding up underneath the front dash. She escaped from the cage we caught her with inside the car and fled underneath the pedals on the driver's side.

Can you help with this (LOL)? I tried to stick my hand above the pedals and behind the center console but can't feel her. I was thinking you might be able to find a diagram that shows the space so I could use a coat hanger perhaps to nudge her to go back out on the driver's side. What a nightmare!

5 Replies

STEVE W.

MECHANIC
13,001 POSTS

Well, that's a catastrophe. Lol. There isn't much room up in there other than the area behind the knee bolster. I would say to put out some bait food in a box and wait. I wouldn't try to force her out as there is a lot of wiring in there and she would likely try to escape and get really stuck. If she hasn't come out in a day, then I would probably get an inspection camera and go up from the passenger side and see if she is stuck.

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Saturday, March 12th, 2022 AT 1:55 PM

JONSOLOW13

MEMBER
126 POSTS

Thanks so much for responding!

As embarrassing as this situation is, I went back into the car tonight with a flashlight and I think I heard the cat moving around a little. She appears to be in the driver's side on the left-hand side, above the wheel well. That seems to be the only place she could squeeze into. Your idea of using a small camera is excellent, of course. I'll let you know if the cat comes out tonight, eats the food we put in the trap. If not tomorrow, I'll try the camera trick.

Thanks again,

Jon

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Saturday, March 12th, 2022 AT 5:02 PM

STEVE W.

MECHANIC
13,001 POSTS

There are times I wish I could get a cat near our vehicles; I get sick of repairing wiring chewed by rodents. You can get those cameras cheap these days. I would bet she comes out though, cats like to roam. If you have a couple of cell phones with Facebook on them or iPhones, you could use the video call in messenger or facetime to set put a camera up in the area and look.

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Saturday, March 12th, 2022 AT 6:53 PM

JONSOLOW13