Puss-in-BOATS: Kitten from China miraculously survives after being trapped in a shipping container for 45 days without food and drink – and then finds itself in ITALY
- Eight-month-old cat was accidentally locked in a container from the Far East
- It was found by a customs officer in Pioltello near Milan during an inspection
- The vet said the cat was weak and exhausted but it survived the lengthy trip
- It’s been named ‘Cina’ and will be kept at the vet under quarantine for 45 days
A little cat has travelled thousands of miles from China to Italy by accident after being trapped in a shipping container for more than a month.
The male tabby miraculously survived the lengthy voyage after spending about 45 days in the sealed space without food and water.
It was discovered inside the container on April 27 by a customs officer from Pioltello outside Milan.
Welcome to Italy! A picture posted by Ats Metropolitan City of Milan shows the cat resting
Miraculous survival: The tabby is seen inside the container after being trapped there for more than a month. It had travelled thousands of miles with the cargo ship from China to Milan
The seafaring cat was so weak and exhausted when it was found it could barely drag itself, according to vet Fabio Maffioletti who is looking after the animal.
Mr Maffioletti is a vet from Ats Metropolitan City of Milan, the regional public health agency.
He told La Repubblica that the cat must have found something to eat among the cargo to survive.
The ship was bound for the port of Genoa by the Mediterranean.
The orange tabby is believed to be eight months old and a stray from the Far East.
The cargo ship left an unspecified port in China and was bound for Genoa (file photo) in Italy
It remains unclear from which port the container had departed, but a typical voyage from China to Milan takes 35 days and the cat would have been stuck for another 10 days during the customs inspection.
Mr Maffioletti and his colleagues have named the kitten ‘Cina’ after its origin.
A picture released by Ats Metropolitan City of Milan through Facebook on Saturday shows ‘Cina’ resting in a cat bed next to a pink blanket and a Hello Kitty soft toy.
Milan-based English website Wanted in Milan also published a picture on Monday which appears to show the cat as it was discovered on the boat.
Apparently, the strong-willed animal has become an internet star after news of its incredible journey travelled back to its homeland.
The cat was trapped inside a container for 45 days before the ship reached Milan (file photo)
On China’s Twitter-like Weibo, a trending topic page has been created in its honour.
The page has been viewed more than 230 million times, attracting more than 40,000 comments.
One of its fans joked: ‘Will it have problem communicating with the locals cats there?’
Another one said: ‘The feline version of “Life of Pi”.’
A third user, a well-wisher, commented: ‘Please grow up well in your new home!’
The Italian vet said they put the kitten on IV drips in the first few days. Now the little feline can eat on its own and is slowly recovering.
‘Cina’, which doesn’t have any health records, will be kept at the vet for 45 days under quarantine to ensure it doesn’t carry any infectious diseases.