Driver’s cat endures 400 nasty miles under his truck

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Updated Mar 8, 2017

We’re suckers for a happy ending, and this may be the happiest we’ve seen of late.

Paul Robertson is a 57-year-old trucker from St. Paul, Minnesota who travels with his cat Percy. While on the road in late February, Robertson was stricken with food poisoning. Parked in a rest area on I-70 westbound near Richmond, Indiana and resting in his bunk, Robertson woke to find Percy was missing.

Paul Robertson and Percy reunited. (Paul Robertson photo)Paul Robertson and Percy reunited. (Paul Robertson photo)

It appears the cat stepped on the power window switch, climbed out the open window and went exploring on his own.

Sick and worried, Robertson posted his predicament on his Facebook page before setting out in a thunderstorm to search for his missing companion. The power of social media took over as friends shared his posts and contacted nearby animal shelters. One created a crowd funding page to raise money for a reward and another even came to help Robertson hunt for Percy.

Robertson continued to share his concern and efforts to find Percy with emotional Facebook posts as his search unfolded. He did so in the face of having to be back on the road to make two deliveries.

Before becoming ill and having Percy go missing, Robertson was excited about getting assigned a new truck by the company he drives for.

Then things started to go badly. But, his many Facebook pals swung into action with suggestions on how to find Percy, encouragement and offers of help. Opening these posts show how so many people were pulling for Robertson and Percy.

Then came this heart-wrenching post from Robertson. He had to get back on the road and make the two deliveries that were on his truck. He did so unhappily.

His next Facebook post explains how he drove over some bad roads in bad weather to make his first delivery. There was more of the same as he headed to the final one. Robertson explains what happened at the final stop: “I disconnected the trailer in factory #2’s parking lot and drove the tractor over to a forlorn shed in the middle of a dark, empty yard to get the paperwork. And as I turned back from the shed to the truck I stopped and couldn’t believe my eyes. Because who should emerge from underneath the truck but … Percy!!!

“He was cold and miserable and a bit wide-eyed … he stinks like 400 miles of bad road and old truck … but somehow this amazing animal rode with me all day today hanging onto the undercarriage!”