A lucky cat used up one of its nine lives when she survived a fall from her owner’s car at 65MPH on a dual carriageway – after clinging on for four miles.
Joanne Smith, 34, was on her way to a funeral when she heard a thud and noticed something black tumbling behind her Vauxhall Astra.
The mum-of-one, who was six-months pregnant, was shocked when saw the mystery object get to its feet and realised it was her pet cat Bella.
Joanne quickly pull over at side of the busy A127 in Basildon, Essex, and rang family members to come and help find the two-year-old moggy.
She eventually found the terrified cat cowering and meowing loudly in the central reservation as traffic thundered by.
Joanne’s brother managed to stop approaching cars so she could scoop up Bella and rush her to Cherrydown Vets in Basildon.
Worried vets carried out X-rays but were stunned when they found the cat didn’t have any broken bones or any serious injuries.
Incredibly, Bella had only received a scratch to the back of her leg and lost her claws from where she had desperately tried to cling on to the car.
She was given a minor stitch-up by vets and has now made a full-recovery from the dramatic incident which happened on April 10.
Today (Fri), Joanne, who lives with husband Robert, 34, and son Jacob, five, in Basildon, said “My friend’s dad had passed away and I was on my way to the funeral at about 3pm.
“The A-road was really busy and I had gone to the outside lane to overtake a lorry.
“Out of the corner of my eye I saw something black fall from the bottom of my car.
“I thought it was a plastic bag but then it rolled and rolled and got to its feet and I realised it was a cat.
“Then suddenly I had the awful realisation that it was my cat and she must have been under the car.
“I pulled over and a few family members came to help me find her so we had to drive up and down trying to see where she had gone.
“Luckily she had just stayed in the central reservation and when I got to her she was shaking and meowing.
“My brother somehow stopped the traffic and I picked her up and took her to the vets.
“She only had a little scratch on the back of her leg and all of her claws had been pulled out but that was it.
“She has definitely used up all of her nine lives, it is amazing there were no serious injuries.”
Joanne had been driving for around 10 minutes and was travelling at 65mph when Bella fell from her Vauxhall.
The part-time receptionist added: “I do that drive all the time and she must have been hanging on for dear life.
“I don’t know where she would have been under the car, she has never done it before.
“Now I always make sure she is in the house before I go out and I won’t drive anywhere unless I know she is inside.”
Cherrydown veterinary surgeon Sammi DeCosta, who looked after Bella, added: “Bella is a very lucky cat.
“When she was brought into us she was understandably a little shaken.
“We carried out X-rays and tests but she didn’t have any broken bones and just required a minor stitch-up and some pain relief.
“We think she’s definitely used up one or two of her nine lives.”
