An Alberta cat which hitched a ride to the west coast in a moving van is ready to fly back home.
Diva, a svelte grey tortoiseshell tabby, vanished from her Sherwood Park home more than three weeks ago.
Andy Delahaye assumed her cat was roaming the neighbourhood until she got a message from her neighbour who had just moved to Duncan, B.C. a few days before.
‘Didn’t know whether to laugh or cry’
Andy Delahaye is thankful for all the help she received bringing Diva home. (Andy Delahaye)
Diva had snuck into the neighbour’s moving van, hunkered down with the boxes and furniture, and made the 1,230-kilometre journey to southern Vancouver Island undetected.
“I was kind of in shock,” Delahaye said. “I didn’t know whether to laugh or cry.”
The cat had spent 48 hours trapped in the trailer on the long haul west but was apparently no worse for wear.
“She was just a little bit thirsty and hungry but she was okay,” Delahaye said. “She’s a pretty tough kitty.”
I guess she wanted to do some further exploring.– Andy Delahaye
Delahaye said she only let Diva outside in the yard for the first time the week before.
“I just got her fixed not that long ago. I got her fixed and I was like, ‘OK finally she can explore.’
“She was so happy to be outside and exploring. I guess she wanted to do some further exploring.”
The cat came back
Initially, a long haul trucker offered to give Diva a ride home but it didn’t work out.
With the help of a rescue group called Finding Lost and Escaped Cats, Diva finally landed a flight home.
The jetsetting stowaway will fly home Friday afternoon with a WestJet employee escort.
Delahaye said she is thrilled about all the help she received.
She will be keeping a closer eye on her cat from now on, and can’t wait to reunite with her furry runaway.
“I’m so, so excited.”