Kitten Survives 300-Mile-Long Journey Hiding Inside Bumper of Car

The "tiger-striped" cat has been nicknamed Tigger.

June 15, 2016, 5:09 PM
This kitten, nicknamed Tigger, survived a 300-mile journey hiding inside the bumper of a UK Royal Navy helicopter pilot's car.
This kitten, nicknamed Tigger, survived a 300-mile journey hiding inside the bumper of a UK Royal Navy helicopter pilot's car.
Paul A'Barow/Crown copyright 2016

— -- This kitten is a trooper.

The "tiger-striped" cat, nicknamed Tigger, recently survived a 300-mile journey hiding inside the bumper of a Royal Navy helicopter pilot's car, according to a UK Royal Navy news release.

After a day-long car trip, 32-year-old Lt. Nick Grimmer said he heard "very quiet meowing" coming from his car and began to investigate, according to the release.

Grimmer "climbed all over and under" the car and even looked under the hood and the trunk of the car, but he said he "still couldn't find what was making the noise."

So the Royal Navy pilot enlisted the help of fellow air engineers, who began taking apart his beloved BMW.

PHOTO: This kitten, nicknamed Tigger, survived a 300-mile journey hiding inside the bumper of a UK Royal Navy helicopter pilot's car.
This kitten, nicknamed Tigger, survived a 300-mile journey hiding inside the bumper of a UK Royal Navy helicopter pilot's car.

"On taking off the rear bumper we were greeted by a tiny tiger-striped kitten," Grimmer said. "He must have had a long journey but remarkably is unharmed."

Coincidentally, Tigger's stripes resemble the grey-and-white striped helicopters flown by Grimmer and his air squadron, known as the "Flying Tigers."

PHOTO: The kitten survived a 300-mile journey hiding inside the bumper of a UK Royal Navy helicopter pilot's car.
Lieutenant Nick Grimmer of 814 Naval Air Squadron is seen with Tigger the kitten. The kitten survived a 300-mile journey hiding inside the bumper of a UK Royal Navy helicopter pilot's car.

Grimmer and his comrades have launched "Operation Tiger Kitten" on social media to try and find the lost cat's owner.

But if the mission fails, the "Flying Tigers" are "more than happy to adopt 'Tigger' as a mascot," said Cmdr. Brendan Spoors, who leads the squadron.

PHOTO: This kitten, nicknamed Tigger, survived a 300-mile journey hiding inside the bumper of a UK Royal Navy helicopter pilot's car.
This kitten, nicknamed Tigger, survived a 300-mile journey hiding inside the bumper of a UK Royal Navy helicopter pilot's car.

After all, "it's a tradition for Royal Navy units to have a ships cat!" he added.