Kitten survives ride in car's wheel arch

A kitten has survived an unexpected ride from the Kapiti Coast to Plimmerton early this morning after stowing away in a car's wheel arch.

The car's occupants, who were not cat owners, were surprised to hear meows as they drove south late last night, eventually stopping at the Plimmerton weigh station to investigate, said Plimmerton Volunteer Fire Brigade firefighter Ben Troy.

Two hours and one fire appliance later, the kitten was located and freed around 2am. It had somehow found its way into a small compartment inside the car's wheel arch.

Mr Troy said the kitten, not yet named, was extraordinarily lucky to have survived.

"That's one life down already" he said.

- NZPA