Just like any other Wednesday, Jamisontown resident Suzanne Bradford got dressed and ready for work, but what happened next was no ordinary morning.
As she was getting into her car to leave, she was met with a faint meowing sound, which her husband helped her to investigate.
After searching high and low in the garage, drains and bushes, they were unable to find anything, so she continued to drive to work.
Eight hours later, as Ms Bradford went to leave, she heard the same little squeak and it hit her – this animal was in the car.
“It was then I realised it was coming from the engine, I totally freaked out and worried that I was hurting the cat so I ran inside and grabbed some of my colleagues to help me get it out,” she said.
With the help of her colleagues, the group were able to view a tiny tuft of orange fur, deep inside the bonnet. One grabbed the end of an umbrella in an effort to free the fuzzy friend, but instead he scurried further into the car.
“I was terrified of driving, I didn’t want to hurt him, but my colleague said he was wedged up the back, away from the engine and stuck, so after making sure, I had to drive home,” Ms Bradford said.
“I heard meowing the whole way home and when I arrived my husband jacked up the car and we discovered that he was hiding right up the back and under the back seat of the car.”
Ms Bradford said her car was always in the garage, so the little guy must have crawled into the car when she was visiting a friend the night before.
The pair attempted to lure him out with tuna but ended up having to crawl under to pull him out.
He was dirty, wet and petrified.
Immediately, they rushed to the vet where he was cleaned up and given the all clear.
“We’ve been wanting a pet for ages, my husband liked cats and I liked dogs so we could never decide, but we took one look at him and it became pretty clear that he was going to be ours,” Ms Bradford said.
“I think he’s chosen us, we weren’t expecting to have a pet, but he is adorable and we are excited to take care of him now.”
The couple named the tiny Christmas miracle Archie.
Nicola Barton
A graduate of Western Sydney University, Nicola Barton is a news journalist with the Western Weekender, primarily covering crime and politics.