Paul Robertson is an proud truck driver who calls the open road home. And no home is complete without a furry friend. In this case, Percy the cat.
Percy likes to hang out in the cab, take naps on the dash and offer up endless cuddles on what would otherwise be a lonely road. Robertson, being the proud cat dad he is, loves posting pictures and updates of Percy on social media – that is, until he had to announce his fur baby was missing…
Robertson had gotten food poisoning and decided to pull into a rest area for a bit to rest, however, when he got up Percy was nowhere to be found.
“When I woke, the electric window by Percy’s perch was open,” Robertson posted. “And Percy is gone. He wasn’t stolen, he did this once before, when I first adopted him. But never since. And this is the worst possible day. I’ve been searching this rest area now ever since, calling his name and rattling his dry food bag. Nothing. I have no idea when he got out. He could be miles away.”
Robertson searched the rest area for hours with the help of some kind people who pitched in to look for Percy. Completely disheartened, he had no choice but to return to his schedule and leave the rest stop, devastated about his loss.
With a heavy heart Robertson finished the last few hundred miles of his delivery with the cold dreary weather outside seeming to mimick his feelings of sorrow.
After dropping off the load he’d been hauling, Robertson made his way back to his truck when suddenly a cold muddy furball emerged from under the truck. It was Percy! The feline had been bunkered somewhere up under the truck since Robertson left that rest stop hundreds of miles back.
“I scooped him up and we were soon back together in the truck, cuddling and hugging and purring and happy as can be,” Robertson explained. “He’s now sitting in the driver’s seat, probably warm for the first time in 40 hours, belly full, snoozing peacefully. Although he reeks like an old tire I haven’t the heart to bathe him right now. Let the poor guy rest.”
By some miracle Percy managed to come out of the whole ordeal completely unscathed. Robertson took to social media once again with Percy by his side and thanked everyone who expressed love and support while Percy was missing.
“I cannot begin to express how grateful I am to all of you for the outpouring of love and concern for this little pussycat,” Robertson posted. “I love thinking that he has so many aunties and uncles who care for him. And also, I hope everyone who pitched in to help in any way they could, whether it was offering moral support or to go and set out traps or help search … I hope you’re all fantastically proud of yourselves. This little orange furry soul means the world to me. Thank you for caring about him too.”
It’s been over a year now since Percy and Robertson were nearly separated for good. Their bond is stronger than ever today as they still cruise the open highway one mile at a time. If fact, they just spent Christmas together in the cabin of their truck.
Meowry Christmas and Happy Pawlidays!
**All photos are from Paul Robertson‘s Facebook page**