Petersburg: Kitten hitches ride under Maserati hood, community unites to rescue her

PETERSBURG — Unbeknownst to her, a kitten hitched a ride from Walnut Hill to Old Towne under the hood of Dr. Sheryl Scott's Maserati GranTurismo. Scott parked in front of Crystal Pools of Petersburg on W. Bank Street. As Scott shopped for pool chemicals, Susan Steward walked by the Italian luxury sports car and made quite a discovery.

Around 1:15 p.m., Steward, owner of The Apothic Company, heard a kitten crying in distress and found the source. "I realized a kitten was in the car engine and went into the pool store and found the owner of the car," she said. "Brad [Slaybaugh] was in the office, so I called him to see if he could get to her. He couldn't. He needed help."

"Susan heard the kitten meowing and called and asked if I could come out front. About 45 minutes after trying to figure a way to get the kitten out, a fire truck happened to come by and asked what was happening. Thankfully, they blocked traffic with the truck and came to help," Slaybaugh said.

According to Slaybaugh, owner of The Sawmill at Cherry Grove in Old Towne, the Maserati has a large black plastic cover on the front underside of the car which served as a shelf for the kitten. "It kept moving from side to side under the car around the front and sides of the motor," Slaybaugh described. "Each time we would get close it would move to the other side."

A concerned crowd formed to watch the pending animal rescue. C. Evon Poe, owner of Crystal Pools of Petersburg, and Francis "Frannie" Rawlings, co-owner of Dixie Restaurant , also tried to lure the kitten to safety.

"The experience was unbelievable and frightening. First to know that a kitten was stuck inside my engine was crazy. I was worried about the kitten’s safety but at the same time worried about my car," Scott said. "I had strangers hitting on my car and pulling out screwdrivers trying to remove parts of the engine cover." According to Scott, the kitten could have been on its terrifying, joy ride for a mile or two.

Scott's life partner Calvin Richardson also made his way to the scene where a kitty was in a major pickle. According to Scott, a friend had recently noticed stray kittens in their neighborhood.

Petersburg: Community unites, saves kitten

Each second that went by, anxiety mounted for spectators and heroes present including Petersburg Fire and Rescue, Petersburg Police and Petersburg Animal Care and Control.

A bystander pointed at a Leete Tire & Auto Center truck driven by Travaris Payne, a tire technician. He rolled the window down to find out what was happening. A firefighter explained and asked him if he had anything to assist in the kitten rescue. Payne went to the shop on Crater Road and returned with a low profile jack that allowed the car to be raised up high enough to get under it.

"There were a lot of people out there. It took me for a loop. I heard the kitten and also a firefighter who was mimicking it trying to get it to move where it could be reached. It did not want to come out of there," Payne said.

"After about three minutes, one of the firefighters [Thomas Seward, Petersburg Fire Department Station 2] was finally able to grab it from underneath. The kitten, still trying to avoid us, was right in front of the motor at that point," Slaybaugh said.

Around 90 minutes after the first frantic meow was heard, Slaybaugh was able to hold the tiny, silver-colored kitten. It was a good thing he had gloves on, because she was a bit feisty. "She was pretty defensive at first but settled down as soon as I got her kind of cuddled against my chest. In the evening, she became very sweet and playful and easy to pick up and hold," Slaybaugh shared.

"It was such a sweet rescue and heartwarming to see how everybody came together to help this tiny kitten that fits in one of my hands," Steward said. "In today’s world where there’s so much division and so much ugliness in the media, yesterday, saving this helpless little kitten really reminded me that at the end of the day most people really just want to be good and want to do the best for their community and each other."

"It was nice to see so many people come together to help an innocent animal out of harm," Rawlings said. "I am just happy that everything worked out and the kitten has a new home," Scott said. Steward welcomed Mazi, the fluffy, furry, kitty who purrs happily now, as her pet.

Slaybaugh took Mazi to Crater Road Veterinary Hospital for a checkup the next day, Wednesday, July 31. "He suspects she is between four and five weeks old. She weighed 1.45 pounds and was very healthy. Her heart and lungs sounded great, and she did not have any ear mites or fleas. She also got her first worming," Slaybaugh shared. "Had to take her to get some bling and snacks and toys too."

Slaybaugh, a 2024 candidate for Colonial Heights City Council, added, "As they say it takes a village, it was great to see the Old Towne community rally around this effort to save Mazi."

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This article originally appeared on The Progress-Index: Petersburg: Kitten hitches ride under Maserati hood, community unites to rescue her