It is a familiar winter routine: find the keys, clear the windscreen, get into the car and start the engine. On a cold morning, few people feel like adding another step. Yet before opening the driver’s door, it is worth stopping by the front of the car and giving the hood a few gentle, audible taps.
The reason is not mechanical maintenance. A cat, or another small animal, may be sheltering beneath the hood or elsewhere around the vehicle. A parked car can offer a dry place out of the wind, and a recently driven one may still feel warm. Starting it without checking can seriously injure an animal that you never knew was there. Animal welfare organisations recommend tapping the hood, looking beneath the car and allowing time for anything hidden to move away.
The phrase “three seconds” is a reminder to pause, not a promise that three seconds will always be enough. If you hear movement or suspect an animal is present, take as long as you need to check.
Why a parked car attracts animals
From the pavement, a car may look like a solid, closed object. To a small animal, it has sheltered spaces underneath, around the wheels and, in some vehicles, within the engine compartment. Cats can crawl into wheel arches or beneath the hood, especially when they are looking for protection from cold or wet weather.
A car that has just been parked may be particularly appealing because warmth lingers around its engine. But a vehicle does not have to feel warm to a person for its underside to offer shelter from the elements. Nor should drivers assume that an electric car rules out the risk: small animals can also hide beneath the hoods of electric vehicles.
This is why the check matters even if you do not own a cat. The animal could belong to a neighbour or be living outdoors. You may have walked past the car without seeing it arrive, and there may be no obvious sign from inside the cabin that anything is hiding nearby.
What the tap is meant to do
A few taps with the flat of your hand make a noise and create a vibration through the hood. The aim is to alert a resting animal before the engine starts, while it still has a chance to leave safely. The BC SPCA advises drivers to tap or lightly thump the hood, wait for signs of movement and check under the vehicle. The RSPCA also recommends checking around the wheels and tyres before driving away.
Tap firmly enough to be heard, but there is no need to strike the metal hard. Then step back and listen. You might hear a rustle, scratching or a faint meow. You might see movement near a wheel. If nothing happens, that is reassuring, but it is not a perfect inspection: a frightened animal may stay still, and a small one can be difficult to spot.
Think of the tap as an early warning, not a magic signal that clears the car. The most useful habit combines noise, a brief pause and a look around the vehicle.
A practical check before driving
Start by looking beneath the car as you approach it. Scan the space between the wheels and the ground, rather than checking only where you plan to put your feet. Look around the tyres and into the wheel arches. The RSPCA specifically notes that cats can shelter under cars and in these areas.
Next, tap the hood several times and wait. The BC SPCA suggests sounding the horn as an additional alert, then listening for movement. In a quiet residential street, a gentle tap may be a more considerate first step; the important point is to give a hidden animal an opportunity to respond before you turn the key or press the start button.
If you see an animal run out, do not start immediately. Watch where it goes. A cat that disappears beneath the car again has not necessarily left the danger area. If you hear a sound but cannot see its source, keep the engine off and inspect more carefully. Opening the hood may help you locate an animal, but do not reach blindly into a cramped space.
On an ordinary morning, this check can fit naturally into the walk from your front door to the driver’s seat. After a suspicious noise, however, it stops being a quick routine. Safety matters more than keeping to a schedule.
If an animal does not come out
An animal that has been startled may hesitate. Give it space and time rather than repeatedly banging on the car. Watch the ground around the vehicle so you can tell whether it has escaped. If you can still hear it, or you can see it in a place it cannot easily leave, do not start the engine.
A cat may also be injured or too frightened to move. If you cannot safely get it out, ask a local animal rescue group or a veterinarian for guidance. Avoid pulling at an animal when you cannot see what is holding it back. The priority is to keep the vehicle still and prevent the situation from becoming worse.
If you discover an injured cat, seek veterinary help promptly. The danger is not hypothetical: the BC SPCA has described a kitten found in a vehicle’s engine bay after a journey who suffered burns and other injuries. That case ended well after treatment, but it shows why a quiet moment before starting the car can matter so much.
When should you make it a habit?
Cold mornings are the obvious time to remember the hood tap, particularly after a car has been parked outside. It is also worth checking when you know cats roam nearby, when the weather is wet or windy, or when the vehicle has been standing for some time. Cats may seek shelter around a car even when you are not expecting them.
Do not limit the check to your own pet. A cat that normally sleeps indoors might slip out, while a neighbour’s cat may have found its way into your driveway. And do not rely on yesterday’s inspection: a different animal can arrive after you park.
The habit is easy to share with other people who use the vehicle. A second driver may not know that a cat has recently been seen near it. A simple reminder—“check underneath and tap the hood before starting”—is more useful than assuming everyone will notice an animal in time.
A little care with a real purpose
Winter driving comes with plenty to think about, from visibility to the road ahead. This precaution concerns what might be beside you before the journey begins. You cannot see every space beneath a parked car from the driver’s seat, and once the engine starts, a warning may come too late.
So, before you get in, take a moment at the front of the car. Look underneath, check the wheels, tap the hood and listen. Most days, nothing will be there. On the day something is, that brief pause gives you the chance to find out while you can still help.
Table des matières
Table des matières
Section | Sujet |
A small pause before the ignition | Pourquoi prendre le temps de vérifier la voiture |
Why a parked car attracts animals | Les abris que peut offrir un véhicule |
What the tap is meant to do | Le rôle du bruit et des vibrations |
A practical check before driving | Les vérifications à faire avant de démarrer |
If an animal does not come out | Que faire si un animal reste caché |
When should you make it a habit? | Les situations où redoubler d’attention |
A little care with a real purpose | Le geste à retenir |