Cat rescued from junkyard car moments before crushing

Feb. 29 (UPI) -- A runaway cat taking shelter in a car at a North Carolina junkyard was rescued from the vehicle just moments before it was crushed.

The Brother Wolf Animal Rescue said the junkyard worker opened the hood of the car to remove the battery before the vehicle was crushed and a cat "took a blind leap of faith into his arms."

The employee kept the cat bundled up inside his jacket for the rest of his shift.

"With no shelters nearby and no idea how to help his new feline friend, he reached out to Brother Wolf, where his girlfriend works, to try and find the cat's family," the rescue said in a social media post.

The sanctuary said a call soon came in from the junkyard reporting that a man had shown up searching for his lost pet.

"We reached out to Lilly's caretaker, who was so thrilled to hear that his closest companion was safe and sound," the post said. "We learned from him that, despite her small size, Lilly had an adventurous spirit like no other."

The shelter offered to spay, vaccine and microchip Lilly for the man and they were reunited once her procedures were completed.

"When Lilly reunited with her dad, the relief and happiness was so clear on both of their faces. She melted into his arms as his eyes filled with tears of joy," the rescue said.