Injured kitten that hid in police SUV is doing well, shelter says

A stray, injured kitten that crawled into the undercarriage of a North Haledon police SUV is headed toward recovery, according to the animal shelter coordinating her care.

The tiny animal, estimated to be between five and seven weeks old, was first discovered Tuesday in Hawthorne by a resident who flagged down a borough police officer on patrol.

While they were talking about the kitten, it jumped and ran beneath the officer's vehicle, according to North Haledon police.

As the Department of Public Works garage was roughly a quarter mile away, the officer slowly drove there, where the SUV was put on a lift. Officers and department of public works staffers then helped disassemble the vehicle's undercarriage until the kitten was free.

The police department opted to name the kitten Cuffs.

Ramapo-Bergen Animal Refuge took control of the animal's treatment, according to executive director Megan Brinster.

Cuffs appears to have a fractured pelvis, which likely was suffered before the kitten was found, Brinster said. She also said the injury could heal without the need for surgery.

Ramapo-Bergen Animal Refuge has been dealing with a very busy "kitten season" of incoming animals and has seen its budget stretched thin, Brinster said, so there's a Facebook fundraiser for the kitten's medical costs. already has collected more than $1,000 in donations.

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