Support The Moscow Times!

AvtoVAZ's Lada Kalina Design Deemed Hazard for Cats

AvtoVAZ engineers have already consulted with rescuers to make a cat-safe model, which is expected to go into production next spring, Komsomolskaya Pravda said. geograph.org.uk

Russia's supermini car brand, the Lada Kalina, may not be the most high-end vehicle out there, but at least it should soon stop being a hazard for heat-seeking cats.

AvtoVAZ, the model's manufacturer, is looking into tweaking the hood design of the Lada Kalina to prevent cats from getting inside, LadaKalina.ru reported.

The current design features openings in the engine compartment big enough for a determined feline to squeeze through.

Many cats take advantage of that in cold weather, getting inside parked cars to get warm — and then getting caught in the engine when the unsuspecting driver revs it up.

The alarm was raised by emergency services, which rescued seven cats in AvtoVAZ's home city of Tolyatti in September alone, the Komsomolskaya Pravda newspaper said last week.

One in five cats sustains serious injuries from snuggling up inside the Lada Kalina, an emergency service spokesman said.

But the incidents have caused considerable concern among the owners of the vehicle, which is marketed as a city car for women.

AvtoVAZ engineers have already consulted with rescuers to make a cat-safe model, which is expected to go into production next spring, Komsomolskaya Pravda said.

AvtoVAZ sold almost 68,000 Lada Kalinas in Russia last year, according to LadaKalina.ru. It remained unclear how many had proved harmful to cats.

… we have a small favor to ask.

As you may have heard, The Moscow Times, an independent news source for over 30 years, has been unjustly branded as a "foreign agent" by the Russian government. This blatant attempt to silence our voice is a direct assault on the integrity of journalism and the values we hold dear.

We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. Our commitment to providing accurate and unbiased reporting on Russia remains unshaken. But we need your help to continue our critical mission.

Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just 2. It's quick to set up, and you can be confident that you're making a significant impact every month by supporting open, independent journalism. Thank you.

Continue

Read more