Cat-astrophe avoided: Harvey, the “sweet kitten”, was discovered by Dr Jill Clapperton in her car.
Meet Harvey, the kitty hitchhiker.
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Last Wednesday, Dr Jill Clapperton drove home from a vet clinic in Kialla to Tatura.
Upon arrival, she could hear a faint meowing sound coming from underneath her car.
Dr Clapperton and her family thoroughly searched the car, but their attempts to learn where the sound was coming from were unsuccessful.
But they left food under the car, just in case.
Even though no food had been eaten in the morning, Pippin, the Clapperton family dog, “was going crazy,” according to Dr Clapperton.
As an excited Pippin kept inspecting and sniffing the back of the Honda HRV, hissing could be heard.
It was enough for Dr Clapperton to call the RACV.
The RACV operator she spoke to was in disbelief; they had never responded to such a call. When the dispatched technician arrived, the kitten couldn’t be seen, but hissing could be heard.
After removing a huge panel, the hiding kitten bolted into the neighbours’ garden, and the improvised rescue team had to run after it to catch it. After 24 hours of hiding in a hot car, the 10-week-old kitten was dehydrated, skinny and tired.
Dr Clapperton temporarily named the kitten Harvey, after the HRV he clung to while travelling from Kialla to Tatura. Now having had a rest, Harvey is displaying a playful and loving temperament.
“He is healthy, has been vaccinated, and his nose is nearly completely black, which means he is less likely to get skin cancer”, Dr Clapperton said.
Harvey, the well-travelled kitten, is set to hit the road again soon thanks to the dedicated efforts of the Clappertons’ cat-loving neighbour, Cathy Mansfield, as she has potentially found his forever home in Melbourne.
Kissing: Harvey, the adventurous kitten and Pippin, the Clapperton family dog.
36°C