How curiosity almost killed Glenmoriston cat

A BELOVED pet cat had a lucky escape after surviving 24 hours in the engine of a work van that travelled around 150 miles from its owners’ home last weekend.

Marian and David Francis, from Glenmoriston, had joiners in at their home on Saturday and when six-year-old tabby Lucy failed to appear for dinner, experience led them to believe she had climbed into the back of their van.

Mrs Francis said: "Whenever we have workmen over we always check the vans before they leave.

"Lucy likes to climb into the back of vans, but the one time we forgot to check is when she disappeared."

Unable to get hold of the workmen from W MacLennan Building and Joinery despite leaving several messages on their answer machine that same day, the couple headed out to Inverness at 6am on Sunday to find the premises. However, they didn’t manage and also failed to get anyone on the phone.

It was close to noon on Monday before they managed to get a hold of the firm’s boss who tracked down the van and two workmen to Whitebridge.

As they searched they could hear mewing and it turned out the cat was not just inside the van, she was in the engine.

A panel from the vehicle had to be removed to free her.

In shock after her unwitting escapade, lucky Lucy’s only injury was the loss of some fur from her tail where it had been rubbed by a moving part of the engine.

Fully recovered now, it’s not the first of her nine lives that Lucy has lost, the rescue cat also having been hit by a car in the past.

Hoping she will be a bit more careful in future Mrs Francis said: "The two joiners who helped save Lucy were so helpful and patient. They were just as shocked as we were to find her there."

Nobody from W MacLennan Building and Joinery was available for comment.