A semi-truck driver parked at Love’s Travel Stop in Napavine on Monday was doing a standard pre-deployment inspection when he heard an unexpected sound coming from his truck: a yowling cat.
He quickly found the cat, a female black-and-white tuxedo, clinging to the axle of the semi-trailer.
“He wasn’t certain how long the cat had been in her predicament or where, for certain, she climbed on board,” Lewis County Fire District 5 Chief Dan Mahoney said.
Lewis County Fire District 5 (LCFD5) ended up sending the on-duty crew to rescue the cat and take her to a veterinarian for evaluation.
Aside from minor injuries, she was found to be in good health, Mahoney said.
“She is a friendly, attention-seeking young lady who is temporarily being cared for at LCFD5 Station 1 in Napavine,” Mahoney said.
While the cat is comfortable hanging out at the Napavine fire station, firefighters are asking the community for help finding a permanent home for the furry stowaway.
Despite not having a microchip or an identifying collar, she is litter-box trained and friendly with people.
“The cat cannot remain at the fire station, as this is only a temporary solution until a possible owner, who hopefully sees this story, may come forward to claim her or until a new family is found,” said Mahoney.
The last stop the cat’s semi-truck made before Napavine was in Fairview, Oregon, according to Mahoney.
Anyone with information about the cat’s previous home or anyone interested in housing the cat is encouraged to contact LCFD5 at 360-262-3320.
