Heartbroken Trucker Finds His "Lost" Cat 400 Miles Away Hiding Underneath Truck

This heartwarming story begins in Ohio when commercial truck driver, Paul Robertson, decided he was ready to open his heart to a feline companion.

It just so happened the perfect road trip buddy was right around the corner.

Paul adopted a beautiful orange tabby named Percy from Twin Cities animal rescue.

However, Paul would soon find himself heartbroken and panicked when Percy went missing…

Keep reading to find out where this clever kitty had been hiding all along.

Best Friends Forever

It was love at first sight for Paul and Percy.

Calm and curious, Percy settled into truck life like a champ.

Before they knew it, it’d been a year of constant companionship on the road.

Paul and Percy had traveled thousands of miles all over the country alongside one another.

Paul even built Percy his own little “suite” on the passengers suite so Percy could look outside the window and enjoy the ever-changing view.

The two were inseparable!

But one day, Paul woke up to the passenger window down and Percy nowhere in sight…

Percy Disappears

Percy, being the smart and clever cat he is, had learned to roll down the window when he saw a bird or something interesting outside.

But in the past, Paul was always awake to make sure Percy didn’t make it outside the truck.

This time was different. Paul started to panic.

He stepped outside the truck and shook Percy’s food bag saying, “Percy! Percy Wercy!”

He was answered with silence. Percy was nowhere to be found.

Paul scoured the area in a panic, searching every nook and cranny of the rest stop.

To make matters worse, temperatures were dropping with a dangerous storm on its way…

Heartbroken But Not Hopeless

Devastated by Percy’s disappearance, Paul got on Facebook for help.

It just so happened the trucker-cat duo had gained some loyal fans over the years through Paul’s photography that sometimes featured his trusty assistant, Percy.

Paul was overwhelmed with emotion by the kindness and support his international online community responded with.

Fans offered to call nearby shelters and one person even showed up to help search.

“It starts to rain, it’s freezing, we’re out there soaking wet, beating the bushes, calling ‘Percy!'” Paul told MPR.

Despite all the help, Paul returned to his truck empty handed.

After a restless night of sleep, Paul had no choice but to keep moving.

400 Miles Later

“I’m a commercial truck driver, and I have a truck full of stuff that’s worth hundreds of thousands of dollars, and I’ve signed on a dotted line saying I will have it delivered by such and such a time,” he said. “I don’t have the choice to stay if I want to.”

Locals had set up traps and assured Paul they would continue the search.

Paul would never forget how heartbroken he was leaving the truck stop.

“I just felt so low,” he said. “I suddenly felt like I was abandoning my child.”

All he could think about was little Percy out there hungry and alone, shivering in the cold.

But duty called.

Paul made his first delivery without Percy, now 400 miles away from where his beloved cat had gone missing.

Now at his next destination, Paul exited the truck to grab some paperwork for his next stop.

Suddenly he turned around and saw something that left him speechless.

Percy…is that you?

A stray cat crawled out from under Paul’s truck.

At first, Paul didn’t register what he was seeing. This couldn’t be Percy– Percy was 400 miles away.

Then he took a closer look.

“I suddenly recognize him. He just looks up at me with the big eyes, like: ‘Dad?'” said Paul.

Bursting with joy, Paul scooped Percy up, hopped the truck, and held him in his arms where the two snuggled in rejoice.

“I took him into the truck and we cuddled and snuggled and he was rubbing his face on me,” Paul said. “Oh my gosh, he stunk.”

Percy had technically never left the truck– he was there all along.

He’d been hiding underneath the truck cab for over 400 miles.

Reunited at Last

By a strike of luck, Percy survived. Other than reeking of diesel ash, he was completely healthy!

Paul updated his online community on the incredible reunion.

“CALL OFF THE SEARCH!!! PERCY IS OKAY!!!” Paul wrote. He thanked everyone for their help, and signed off: “This little orange furry soul means the world to me. Thank you for caring about him too.”

Finally reunited, these two have a lifetime of adventures to look forward to.