The Attraction of Residual Heat
After a car is parked following a drive, the engine block continues to radiate heat for hours. For humans, this is merely residual energy—but for local wildlife, it’s a five-star hotel. In a frozen world, the insulated space under the hood becomes a perfect incubator: dry, sheltered from the wind, and comfortably warm.
Cats in particular—but also squirrels and rats—crawl up through the wheel arches or from underneath the chassis to nest on or next to the engine block. They often fall into a deep sleep there. The problem arises when the owner, unaware of what’s happening, gets in the car the next morning and presses the start button.