An Ainsdale man got the shock of his life after accidentally giving a cat a fur-raising 19-mile drive under his car’s bonnet.
Paul Crilly says he had no idea a cat had sneaked its way inside his car and was nestled against his engine for the entirety of a journey from Liverpool to Ainsdale on Thursday.
Unfortunately, after freeing his stowaway, Paul was given a sharp scratch of claws for his trouble before the cat ran away.
He is now appealing for anyone who may have lost the cat in Liverpool to come forward.
Now car owners are being urged to check their engines aren’t purring when they go to set off after the bizarre incident.
This strange story follows a number of instances when cats have been found deep inside car bonnets, having snuck into idling or recently shut down cars to get warm from an engine’s heat.
The common phenomenon is something the RSPCA and animal welfare groups are now warning will happen often in the coming months as cats seek out alternative sources of heat during the cold winter.