A cat who went missing in Darwin, Northern Territory has been discovered seven weeks later in a shipping container in Brisbane, Queensland.
The shipping container had been used to transport the belongings of the Pippa the cat's former neighbours a staggering 3,400 km interstate without water or food.
Pippa's survival came as a huge relief to her owner Rebecca Schilling, with the severely dehydrated cat spending several weeks being nursed back to health in an animal shelter, reports 9News.
Pippa the cat with Queensland vet Heday Nakayima, who has nursed the three year old cat back to health after she suffered severe dehydration and weight loss.
Missing cat found alive in shipping container 49 days later
Darwin resident Jason King sealed the container of his belongings on February 20, 2015, before they were transported via the VLine transport services and reopened on April 10.
It's believed the three year old Moggy crawled into the container while it was sitting open in the street.
Mr King recalled the moment he unloaded the container and discovered the cat.
'I climbed up over things and I found our expensive mattress had cat urine and vomit all over it. I took everything out and sure enough behind the very last thing I found the cat.'
The three year old Moggy crawled into a shipping container being used to transport a neighbours belongings interstate
The man who discovered the cat said he was baffled the cat had survived the massive journey
With neither food nor water for 49 days, cat was suffering from dehydration and severe weight loss.
'I was surprised to find it alive… It was really light and bony. You could see its skeleton and its spine.'
Ms Schillin said while the event was unsettling, she was thrilled to know the cat had survived.
'I was delighted that I knew where she was but I was initially concerned she was really suffering and might need to be put down.'
The owners of the cat are now considering how to fly the cat back home to Darwin
Pippa is now in the care of a foster home, with Ms Schilling considering whether to fly the cat to Darwin or rehome her in Darwin.
'One of my big concerns is the cost and the potential trauma on her flying again after seven weeks in a shipping container,' she said.
Ms Schillin said she was dazzled by the cat's resilience and remains optimistic about its future.
