THE hunt is on for the owner of a cat who hitched a ride on a lorry for more than 40 miles across East Anglia.

Dave Gooderham

THE hunt is on for the owner of a cat who hitched a ride on a lorry for more than 40 miles across East Anglia.

The short-haired tabby and white-coloured cat, who found a space near the lorry's air brake and axle, was only found when staff at a carpet shop heard her cries and thought she had been run over.

It is believed the cat hopped on board in Mildenhall although the vehicle travelled from Chelmsford in Essex, through Suffolk, and then stopped at King's Lynn and Dersingham in Norfolk.

RSPCA staff said they guessed that the intrepid feline came from the Mildenhall area as the vehicle stopped in the town for 45 minutes and that the warm space underneath the vehicle would have proved very attractive in the freezing temperatures. It is thought she then clung on for more than 42 miles before being found.

RSPCA animal collection officer, Antoinette Shearsby, said: “The cat was unharmed, but I had to tempt her out of her hiding place with cat biscuits, and she was covered in dirt and oil.

“We'll take good care of her until her owner can be found. If no one comes forward we will look for a new home for her.”

Unfortunately the cat had no collar or microchip, but Ms Shearsby said she is healthy and very friendly, indicating that she may have an owner somewhere who is missing her.

She added: “This shows just how important it is for owners to get their pets micro-chipped, as it really is one of the only permanent ways of identifying your animal if it becomes lost or stolen. A chip would have helped us to reunite this cat with her family by now.”

The cat was eventually found by staff at Supreme Carpets in Manor Road, Dersingham, Norfolk, who heard her cries and thought she had been run over by the truck.

Anyone who recognises the cat or thinks they know where she came from, should contact the RSPCA on 0300 1234 999 and ask to leave a message for ACO Shearsby.