SOUTH WALES – Willow the kitten certainly is one lucky black cat after surviving a hairy 60-mile journey aboard an articulated lorry.
The 12-week-old stowaway managed to emerge from the back of a wood recycling truck when the driver opened his doors.
Poor Willow was completely covered in wood chippings, suffering from hypothermia and had bashed her head – suffering a bleed behind one eye and a nose bleed also.
She is currently in safe hands at the Cats Protection Bridgend Adoption Centre, in South Wales, where the staff claims she did well to survive.
Willow is now recovering well (Image: Cats Protection)
Centre manager Sue Dobbs stated: “Willow was in such a poor physical condition when she arrived and collapsed within a few minutes.
“We didn’t expect her to survive the trip to the vet’s but she is a little fighter and she hung on in there. She is lucky to be alive.”
Cat carer Jenna Hunt went on to say: “Willow is a little sweetheart who has the loudest purr we had ever heard.
“She was very scared to begin with but is settling down well. She is slowly regaining her balance and is getting better day by day.”
Staff say the adorable puss – who scampered on to the truck in Bristol – was sadly not microchipped. However, she is so friendly they believe she was someone’s pet, rather than being a stray.
Sadly, she may be left with some brain damage (Image: Cats Protection)
They will wait about four weeks to see if her owner comes forward, then put her up for adoption if necessary.
That will give Willow the time she needs to recover from her serious head injury. She began to play after 10 days at the centre and has been treated with steroids.
Sadly, vets do actually fear that she may be left with some brain damage, as she has a slight head tilt and favours her right side.
The staff, however, are also saying that she should go on to lead a normal life. One spokesperson for the charity added: “We once had a cat who travelled 20 miles in the engine of a car, but Willow’s journey is certainly the longest we’ve come across.
“She was hanging by a thread and she’s really lucky to have survived.”
Anyone who may have information about Willow’s owner can contact Cats Protection Bridgend on 01656 724396 or email bridgend@cats.org.uk.
Source: www.mirror.co.uk
