A lucky cat has survived an incredible three-week journey across the ocean after accidentally hitching a ride inside a cargo container.
The adventurous feline – now named Xiao Mao – is thought to have sneaked aboard a container in China before being shipped thousands of miles across the Pacific Ocean.
Animal experts reckon the plucky puss survived the marathon trip by licking condensation and snacking on rodents trapped inside the container, as reported by Need To Know.
READ MORE: Desperate seal freed from deadly fishing net in nick of time
Cats are often used at Chinese shipping ports to keep rats under control, which is how rescuers believe Xiao Mao ended up trapped inside the container in the first place.
After her three-week ordeal at sea, the container was unloaded and transported by train to Oakdale, Minnesota, where stunned workers discovered the starving stowaway.
Local animal control officers were called in and managed to safely catch the frightened moggy.
But due to her poor condition, they couldn’t care for her long-term, and she was handed over to the rescue charity Pet Haven Minnesota.
A spokesperson said, “We wanted to give her a new name, something that was familiar to her.
“Words she might know.
“We named her Xiao Mao – Little Cat in Chinese.”
When she first arrived, Xiao Mao was thin, dehydrated and terrified, so the rescue team placed her in their special Wallflowers programme, which helps shy or undersocialized cats and dogs gain confidence.
Over the past few months, the brave kitty has made a remarkable recovery, slowly regaining her strength and getting used to other cats again.
She’s even been paired up with a new feline friend called Prince, in the hope the two will become inseparable.
Pet Haven said, “So far, slow introductions have been promising, and we hope he might just be her Prince Charming forever!”
READ MORE: Two adorable puppies found dumped in box now looking for new homes
