One-eyed cat's 15-mile joy ride to Shropshire under car bonnet

The grey adult female, simply named Puss since being found, is now recovering at Severn Edge vets in Cleobury Mortimer, having accidentally travelled all the way from Stourport-on-Severn in Worcestershire in the engine compartment of a car.

Manager Michelle Marsh, branch manager at the vet surgery, said: "The gentleman who found her had been to Stourport-on-Severn shopping. Before he set out he heard meowing but looked around and couldn't see anything so he thought it must just have come from a cat wandering around."

But as he pulled up on his drive he heard the strange noise again, she said.

"He lifted his bonnet and found the cat under there. He was very shocked. His first thought was 'Is the cat OK?' so he put it straight in a box and brought it to us.

"This time of year they do try find some where warm to go and can climb anywhere, it's just one of those dangers."

But The owner of Puss, who suffered "a couple of grazes" in her ordeal, survived the trek across two county borders almost unscathed, she said will need to show proof of ownership.

"She's just got a couple of grazes, she's been very lucky, but she's fine, she's happy in our kennels at the moment."

Staff hadn't settled on a proper name since Puss was brought in on Wednesday yet, she said, hence the generic moniker.

"But she answers to anything," she said, "She's such a lovely, friendly cat, far too friendly to be stray - they're normally quite nervous, but this one just goes up to everyone and loves being fussed.

"Someone will be definitely be missing her."

The practice had been inundated with calls since putting the word out on social media, she said, but so far they had not found a match.

"We haven't found the owners yet," she said. "We've had a few people call up but the cat doesn't fit the description they have given us."

She said staff were asking those calling up to claim the cat to name any identifying features aside from her one eye, and to bring in a photo of her as proof they were the owners.

She said: "We have to be careful because there a lot of people out there that just want a one-eyed cat - you'd be surprised."

However, she said, they would keep the cat for seven days to allow time for the owners to come forward before looking at rehoming the lucky Puss. To claim Any one thinks Puss might be theirs can call Severn Edge's Cleobury practice on (01299) 271967.