8 LIVES TO GO CAT SURVIVES HITCHING RIDE ON CAR WHEEL.

Byline: Orith Goldberg Staff Writer

WOODLAND HILLS - Curiosity almost killed a kitten that ran under Kristie Stevens' car, but kindness and a couple of cops saved the day for the aptly named Lucky.

The kitten burst on the scene on St. Patrick's Day as Stevens was driving northbound on Fallbrook Avenue. She was turning onto Victory Boulevard but quickly hit the brakes when she saw something tiny run under her Ford Probe.

``I stopped right in the middle of the intersection,'' she said. ``Everybody was screaming and honking.''

Stevens and her friend jumped out and searched underneath the car for the kitten, using mirrors from their compact makeup kits.

Within a few minutes, Officers Marie Lamar, 43, and John Cheun, 32, of the Los Angeles Police Department's West Valley Division spotted Stevens' car and a van stopped at the intersection.

``(Stevens) didn't want to drive anymore because she thought she may kill the cat,'' Cheun said.

With Stevens' OK, the officers pushed the Probe to the side of the street so it wouldn't block traffic.

Lamar spotted a Pep Boys automotive shop nearby and suggested asking the staff for help in locating the orange and white kitten.

Stevens slowly drove the Probe to the shop, where store manager Frank Valles said it would be all right for mechanic Jorge Ramos to lift the car on a hydraulic jack so they could look for the kitten.

Once the car was lifted, Ramos took the front left tire off and saw the kitten's leg hanging over the rotor with the rest of the kitten wedged behind.

Lamar grabbed the kitten from the car, not knowing whether it was still alive.

``At first we saw him and it looked like he wasn't alive, but the next thing I knew, they pulled down this tiny grease ball,'' Stevens said.

The officers agreed to take the kitten to a local animal shelter in case someone reported it missing. Stevens told them she'd like the kitten if no one else claimed it.

But shelter officials told the officers the kitten would be euthanized because of its young age, Lamar said.

A few minutes later, the officers were at Newberry School of Beauty at the Fallbrook Mall, where Stevens was headed that morning. There were about 50 women there, all thankful that the officers helped save the feline's life.

``They were screaming and hugging us,'' Lamar said.

The kitten received an even a grander reception.

``It was like Tom Cruise walked in,'' Lamar said.

Stevens named the kitten Lucky, given his good fortune in finding her and drawing the attention of the officers.

``Obviously he was supposed to be here for a reason,'' said the 25-year- old Stevens.

She has since nursed the kitty back to health with love, affection and hearty meals. And Stevens' two other cats - Romeo and Abbot - appear to like Lucky, too.

``He's been eating at least eight times a day,'' Stevens said. ``He's absolutely frisky and wants to be with you. He wants to feel your heart.''

When Stevens and Lucky met up with the officers Tuesday afternoon, Stevens expressed her gratitude toward the officers again.

``You guys don't understand what you did,'' Stevens repeated to the officers.

``I was just happy he was OK,'' Lamar said.

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2 photos

Photo:

(1 -- color) Lucky the kitten with her rescuers, from left, LAPD Officers Marie Lamar and John Cheun, driver Kristie Stevens and Pep Boys mechanic Jorge Ramos. The cat bounded under Stevens' car and had to be extracted from the Ford's wheel.

(2) Lucky, saved Saturday after bounding under a car, sits on the shoulder of a rescuer, police Officer Marie Lamar.

Andy Holzman/Staff Photographer