Turkish stowaway kitten travels 2,000 miles to Dartford Published duration 31 July 2012

image caption Six-week-old Yonda was very frightened at first but is now doing well

A kitten jumped into a delivery vehicle in Turkey for a cat nap - and ended up 2,000 miles away in Dartford.

The intrepid six-week-old tabby cat emerged from the trailer in Kent "timid and frightened", her rescuers said.

Her journey, which took her from her home in the Turkish capital Ankara, through Istanbul, and across mainland Europe, took nine days.

Now named Yonda, the kitten has been taken into quarantine.

Heather McCann, from Cats Protection, said staff from the freight and logistics company Davies Turner found Yonda as they unloaded cargo in the UK.

Ms McCann said: "Yonda has had quite a journey.

"She was apparently very timid and frightened at first, but thanks to the vigilance and kindness of everyone at Davies Turner, she is now doing well."

She added: "We can only imagine she jumped into the trailer to find somewhere warm to sleep.

"I'm sure she never expected to wake up in England."

Yonda now needs a home and owner and someone to pay her quarantine fees.

The companies which took her on her journey have already contributed £615 between them.

Ekol, the Turkish company that owns the trailer, paid £385 towards Yonda's care, and staff at Davies Turner held a staff dress down day to raise more than £230.

Ms McCann said: "We're now appealing to the public for funds to help pay the remainder of Yonda's quarantine fees, and the costs involved in looking after her at Cats Protection while we seek to find her a loving new home."