An engineer had an surprising passenger when his neighbour’s cat stowed away in his van as he made a 100-mile spherical journey to repair broadband at an island fireplace station.
Tia the cat sneaked into Doug Craig’s van as he loaded up in Oban, Argyll and Bute, early one morning, and hid within the again for the three-hour ferry crossing to Arinagour on Coll within the Internal Hebrides.
He solely noticed the cat a number of hours later after he had fastened a fault within the fireplace station’s broadband wiring, and realised the stowaway was his neighbours’ pet.
Mr Craig, 31, stated: “It was a last-minute journey as a consequence of an pressing knowledge fault on the voluntary fireplace station on Coll. I used to be working for just a few hours earlier than I realised Tia was there.
“I’d seen my software bag was all bushy and thought it was actually odd. I acquired the fright of my life once I noticed two eyes shining out from the again of the van.
“At first I assumed a Coll cat had sneaked in however then I acquired a better look and recognised her from residence. I assumed, ‘Oh no, I’ve cat-napped my neighbours’ pet!’
“I’ve heard of different curious cats climbing into colleagues’ vans from time to time – however I’ve by no means heard of 1 that went to sea on a 100-mile spherical journey.”
Mr Craig contacted his mom again in Oban and requested her to let his neighbours, Elyse and Martin Hamilton, know the place Tia was in order that they and their youngsters, Stanley, seven, and Beatrix, 5, wouldn't fear.
He then dashed to the island’s normal retailer to fill up on tuna and biscuits earlier than it shut for the afternoon.
As there was no ferry till the following day, Tia spent the night time behind the van whereas Mr Craig slept in a tent.
She was reunited along with her homeowners when Mr Craig returned to the mainland after an evening on Coll.
Mrs Hamilton, a house economics instructor, stated the household have been stunned by their pet’s late summer time journey.
She stated: “Tia will be fairly shy and unbiased and it wasn’t till Doug’s mum knocked on the door we truly realised she was lacking.
“She’s snuck off for wee excursions in others’ automobiles earlier than – and even gone to work with Martin – however taking a vacation to Coll is wildly adventurous, even for her.
“Fortunately she was too timid to return out of the van and go exploring. For sure we have been delighted to get her again protected and sound.
“We’re past grateful to Doug for taking such excellent care of her – as I used to be attempting to fathom how we might handle a visit to Coll to carry her residence.
“We’re hoping she’s had fairly sufficient adventures for some time, though she appears to have actually warmed as much as Doug and we might see her attempting it once more to get spoiled.”
Mr Craig, a former postman who joined digital community supplier Openreach as an apprentice, works throughout a rural patch that additionally contains the Internal Hebridean islands of Tiree, Mull and Colonsay.