With autumn mornings turning chillier and darker, drivers are being urged to carry out a simple two-second check before setting off, as cats often seek shelter around parked vehicles overnight.
The RSPCA warns that cats may take cover beneath cars or creep under bonnets and into wheel arches when temperatures plummet. It urges motorists to tap the bonnet and inspect around the wheels and tyres before turning the ignition.
Guidance from animal welfare groups
Cats Protection offers comparable guidance, noting that cats can occasionally curl up inside a warm car engine or beneath a stationary vehicle. Its recommendations suggest making some noise, examining underneath the car and giving cats sufficient time to escape before firing up the engine.
Natalie Surtees, COO and co-founder of Tedaisy Insurance Group, the firm behind Perfect Pet, said: "As the nights get colder, cats naturally look for somewhere warm and out of the weather. A parked car ticks every box. It keeps off the wind and rain, and there are lots of snug little gaps a cat can squeeze into."
"Most drivers never give it a second thought, but that's exactly why it's worth making a quick check part of your morning routine at this time of year."
Electric cars also affected
The caution applies not just to conventional petrol and diesel motors, either. Department for Transport statistics reveal there were over two million licensed zero-emission vehicles in the UK at the end of June 2026, which means the advice is becoming increasingly pertinent to electric-car owners as well.
Natalie added: "It's easy to think that because there's no hot engine, cats won't bother with an electric car. But a car doesn't need to be warm to be appealing. Shelter is often what a cat is really after.
"Electric cars are also much quieter than petrol or diesel when they pull away, so a cat dozing underneath gets far less warning than it would from an engine starting up."
Keep the check quick
The expert advises keeping the check brief rather than letting it become yet another time-consuming task before heading to work or the school run. She said: "Give the bonnet a firm tap, have a look around the wheels and tyres, and then wait a few seconds before you drive off. That gives any cat plenty of time to hop out."
Meanwhile, the RSPCA also advises offering cats warm, comfortable spots to rest during chillier spells, while Cats Protection urges keeping outdoor felines indoors overnight wherever feasible.
