Kittens were rescued from a car engine after a mother cat gave birth inside the vehicle's machinery.

Former policeman Somjet Ployjan adopted a stray feline a month ago after noticing the animal waiting in front of his house in Trat, Thailand.

Earlier this week, the cat gave birth inside the engine compartment of Somjet's sedan, prompting him to call emergency responders for help.

When the rescue team arrived, they found the tiny kittens stuck in a narrow gap beneath the engine. To reach them, they had to disassemble the front bumper and underguard, then carefully lift the front of the vehicle.

Footage shows the rescuer gently retrieving the newborns one by one on June 4.

The mother cat, seemingly frightened by the commotion, grabbed one of her kittens and ran off, forcing rescuers to retrieve her again.

Authorities said the baby cats were around four to five days old, with their eyes still closed.

Somjet later said he plans to keep both the mother and her litter.