Cat accidentally travels over 500 miles while trapped in front of taxi

Tourists and backpackers often travel in unusual ways to save money, and this young cat was no exception, traveling 500 miles in the grille of a car earlier this week.

Welsh taxi driver Tom Hutchings discovered the kitten after his cross-country drive from Bristol to the Welsh Llanelli, he told Sky News, adding that he'd also journeyed deep into the mountainous Welsh countryside before returning to his hometown of Tonyrefail.

Upon arriving home, he noticed the feline in the grille, upon which he immediately headed to get this toolbox to remove the front bumper and pull the cat out. 

After rescuing the furry adventurer, he and his partner took the cat to the vet to get her checked after her long and dangerous drive.

A clean bill of health

After getting the all-clear from the vet, Hutchings decided to see if she had an owner. 

A quick social media search revealed the cat's name to be Gizmo and she had been missing for about a week from her home in Miskin a town between 7-10 miles from Tonyrefail. 

Puzzled as to how she had gotten to his car, he told Sky News "I hadn't been to Miskin in weeks so it's not like I'd gone there and it's jumped in."

However, he did offer up his theory to the BBC saying: "All I can think is she hitched a ride on one of the big lorries that come and go from an industrial estate up there, a few of which occasionally come through our estate. Other than that it's a complete mystery." 

For now, Gizmo is safe and sound back at home with her owner, and, at least for the time being, she has left her days of adventuring across the country behind her.