'Missing' cat survived for 400 miles in trucker's undercarriage

March 7 (UPI) -- A trucker drove 400 miles after searching for his missing pet cat, who turned out to be hiding underneath his truck the entire time.

Paul Robertson, 57, shared a series of Facebook posts chronicling the bizarre search that began when his cat, Percy, escaped through his truck's window while he was recovering from "rampaging food poisoning."

"The bad part is that I was idling the truck so I'd have ac during all this. And when I woke the electric window by Percy's perch was open. And Percy is gone," he said.

Robertson said he was sure Percy wasn't stolen, but had rather managed to escape by opening the window, which he had done once before.

"I've been searching this rest area now ever since, calling his name and rattling his dry food bag. Nothing," Robertson said. "I have no idea when he got out. He could be miles away."

A heartbroken Robertson shared a map of his location to Facebook in hopes that friends could help him in his search, but after more than a day of searching he was forced to head back onto the road without his beloved pet.

"I've had to leave without him," Robertson said. "I feel like the worst cat dad ever."

Robertson resumed his trip and drove for nearly 400 miles when he was stunned to see his furry orange companion emerge from underneath his truck.

"After I drove nearly 200 miles today in the snow and rain and crappy old dirt roads ... potholes, puddles, you name it...and made a delivery to one factory, and then drove *another* 200 miles on even worse roads, dusty, muddy, wet, cold, to another factory, I disconnected the trailer in factory #2's parking lot and drove the tractor over to a forlorn shed in the middle of a dark, empty yard to get the paperwork. And as I turned back from the shed to the truck I stopped and couldn't believe my eyes," Robertson said. "Because who should emerge from underneath the truck but ... Percy!"

Percy was "cold and miserable" after his lengthy trip underneath Robertson's truck, but the trucker told the Minnesota Star-Tribune he was ready to reclaim his post as his co-pilot after a trip to the veterinarian for some medication to heal an eye infection and a warm bath.

"This is the feel-good story of 2017," Robertson said. "If ever a moment felt like a gift from God, it was then."