On a recent Saturday, Texas resident and Model S owner John Griswell was walking to his car when he noticed something strange — a stray cat safely looking out from underneath.
“Thinking that I’d hit a dead cat and its paw was stuck up in there, I backed up the car to get a better look, and it was gone,” Griswell told Green Car Reports. “Later that night, we heard meowing from the garage.”
It turns out the gray tabby had taken residence in the vehicle’s motor compartment, and was now using Griswell’s Tesla as a luxurious, heated hotel.
“After searching around, I pointed a flashlight through the rear wheel and past the suspension and frame, and saw a pair of little eyes staring back at me,” he continued. “We put out food and left the garage door open, hoping it would leave overnight. But it only ate the food and climbed back in.”
Amazingly, the cat had enough room inside to move around safely, even the when the car moving. The feral feline liked the electric vehicle so much, it decided to set up shop permanently.
“On Sunday, we borrowed a live trap from a friend, put a can of tuna fish in it, and let the car sit all day,” Griswell explained. “This time, the kitten came out, took a dump in the garage, left the tuna alone, and climbed back into the Tesla.”
Eventually, Griswell gave in and took the car to the Tesla Service Center, where technicians unscrewed the motor cover shield to evict — er — liberate the cat. You can see the rescue in action in the video above.
According to a recent post on Griswell’s Facebook account, the cat has been cleared by the vet and given the name “Tessy.” She is being handed over to her new owner soon.
