Shock discovery in car engine as motorist drove to Newport pet store

A cat was remarkably found nestled in the bonnet of a car – after the driver had made a 15-mile journey to a pet store in Newport.

The driver had travelled from Blackwood to the Mendalgief Retail Park in Newport, where Pets at Home is located; as is – conveniently – an RSPCA Adoption Centre!

A member of the public walking across the car park noticed a tail hanging beneath the vehicle – and a Pets at Home staff member Lauren Jones was able to reach the cat from underneath the car.

Lauren said: “When it was flagged to us that there was a tail hanging below the vehicle and we realised that a cat was under there, we of course wanted to do whatever we could to help. We were just so relieved that the cat was safe and I was able to reach her from underneath the car.”

Staff at the RSPCA Newport Adoption Centre then looked after the cat – named Jinx – and scanned her for a microchip, which confirmed her home address. The incident took place on Sunday 5 April.

Jinx was taken to the charity’s Merthyr Clinic for a health check, before Fiona Thomas, from the RSPCA’s Gwent Branch, was able to return the adventurous moggy home.

The cat – who had been missing for a few days – was thankfully unharmed despite making her way into the engine bay of the car and taking a 15-mile journey across Gwent.

Gaynor Smith, from the RSPCA’s Newport Adoption Centre, said: “I couldn’t believe it when a Pets at Home colleague mentioned that she had retrieved a cat from the engine bay of a car!

“You don’t expect to find a cat in the bonnet – and this story is all the more remarkable because the driver had, by chance, made the journey to Pets at Home, where our Adoption Centre is located!

“We’re just relieved we were able to help get this cat home – as we love a happy ending!”

Fiona Thomas, RSPCA Gwent Branch animal welfare officer, added: “It was great to be able to support the RSPCA and take this cat home.

“It’s a great reminder as to the advantages of getting a cat microchipped – as without this chip, we’d have had no idea where the cat came from, and she was so far away from home.

“With the lockdowns and Covid restrictions, we’ve all spent so much more time at home this year – but Jinx certainly took her desire to get out, about and explore to new heights by sneaking into the car engine! Thankfully, she was unharmed and is safely back home in Blackwood.”