Surprise traveler trapped beneath car for hundreds of miles gets new chance at life
A ten-week-old kitten survived an extraordinary journey after becoming trapped beneath a car that travelled roughly 800 miles from New Jersey to Georgia, and is now recovering following an unlikely rescue on a university campus. The animal's ordeal has drawn attention as a remarkable survival story, highlighting how small animals can instinctively wedge themselves into tight spaces beneath vehicles when frightened, sometimes with life-threatening consequences.
The kitten, since named Jersey, was discovered on 10 August after the vehicle arrived at the University of Georgia campus, having unknowingly carried the stowaway the entire distance from New Jersey. Cat behaviour experts note that felines often seek out small, enclosed spaces to hide when sensing danger, which likely explains how the kitten became lodged beneath the car in the first place. Jersey is now said to be recovering and has been given a new chance at life following the rescue.
- Kitten trapped under car survived roughly 800-mile trip from NJ to Georgia
- Ten-week-old kitten discovered 10 August at University of Georgia
- Cats instinctively hide in small spaces when frightened, expert explains
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Tucked out of sight under the wheel arch, the kitten hitched an unintentional ride when the car it was hiding beneath set off on a journey of some 800 miles from New Jersey to Georgia. It was only found once the vehicle reached the University of Georgia campus, safe despite the extreme heat, noise and distance involved.
Vets and animal behaviourists say this kind of incident, while rare in scale, is not unusual in kind: kittens and cats often squeeze into small, enclosed spaces such as engine bays or wheel wells when startled, and can then be carried unknowingly by a moving vehicle. Such cases can end in serious injury or death, which is part of why this kitten's survival has attracted interest.
Named Jersey after the state where its journey began, the kitten is now in recovery and being cared for following the rescue, with the story being told as an example of an animal beating very long odds.