Lorry Drivers and Cute Fluffy Kittens

As the Internet so often reminds us, there's really nothing better than a cute, funny or frankly bizarre cat story to make us laugh, well up or simply wonder if we made the right choice when we chose a dog as the honorary furry member of the family. Now, contrary to the traditional tough image of his profession, one kind-hearted haulier from North Wales has become the latest to fall under the spell of a little moggie magic.

The Shoebox Kitten

When lorry driver Paul Gibbons came across a wet, bedraggled kitten, cruelly abandoned in a shoebox in a landfill site, it wasn't in a good state. The tiny tabby was cold, starving and had a nasty eye infection to boot. The concerned haulier knew that if he left the six-week-old kitten to fend for itself, its chances of survival in the landfill were slim to none, so he gathered it up and took it into the warmth and safety of his lorry cab.

The dishevelled bundle of fur and her haulier hero bonded immediately and Gracie (as he quickly named her) took up residence on her rescuer's shoulder – much to the delight of Paul's social media followers. After posting pictures of Gracie very much at home in the cab of his lorry, Paul was inundated with well-wishers praising him for his kindness and offering their thanks for his compassion for saving Gracie from a certain death.

To the Rescue

Unaccustomed to cats and unsure of what to do next, Paul sought the advice of the Atherton and Wigan Cats Protection Centre. A representative from the centre said they'd dealt with numerous instances of cats and kittens being abandoned in boxes, however Paul's call was the first time they'd heard of one being rescued from a landfill site. (The protection centre runs a neutering scheme to counteract the high instances of abandoned kittens in the surrounding region.)

They requested that Paul bring little Gracie into the centre in order to receive veterinary attention for her eye. Once she was checked over she would go into the care of a volunteer foster family from the charity, until she was mature enough to go to a forever home.

Happy Ever After

Of course, a feel-good animal rescue story like this one just wouldn't be complete without the fairytale ending, would it? Well, sure enough, this tale has it all! It hadn't taken long for Paul, the soft-hearted haulier, to fall totally and utterly under the spell of Gracie's considerable cuteness and charm. Before he'd even gotten into second gear after delivering Gracie to the centre, he knew the only place for her was with him – on a permanent basis. Not only had she shown herself to be right at home in the cab of his lorry (a true truckie's cat), she'd wriggled her way directly into his heart.

As soon as Gracie is ready, she and Paul will be reunited to live happily ever after - on and off the road! Now, back to those funny cat videos…

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Norman Dulwich is a Correspondent for Haulage Exchange, the leading online trade network for the road transport industry across the UK and Europe.. It provides services for matching work for a haulier with jobs and to buy and sell road transport and haulage work in the domestic and international markets.Over 4,500 transport exchange businesses are networked together through their website, trading jobs and capacity in a safe 'wholesale' environment.

Writer and Online Marketing Manager in London.