Get all the very latest news in Ireland straight to your email every single day Sign up! Thank you for subscribing See our privacy notice Invalid Email

A stowaway cat who sneaked on board a fishing boat and set sail across Galway Bay has had a lucky escape after falling overboard miles from land.

The seafaring feline hid amongst lobster pots on a vessel owned by brothers Patrick and Ciaran Oliver before they cast off from Galway Harbour last week.

As the crew were throwing the pots overboard, the startled cat emerged and ended up leaping into the sea.

Patrick and his crew rushed to the animal’s assistance, however, and managed to fish her out of the freezing water and bring her back on board.

They turned the boat around and brought the cat back to shore, where they contacted the Galway SPCA.

“Patrick’s brother, Ciaran, met the boat at the Docks and drove her up to [Galway SPCA] shop,” said a spokesperson for the animal-welfare organisation.

“The shop also contacted a member of staff who was in the city attending calls at the same time, and they came to collect Uisce, as she is now called.”

Uisce was brought to Glenina Veterinary Clinic in Galway, where she was wrapped in heat pads and blow-dried to bring her body temperature up after her ordeal.

The feral cat came around after a few hours and was kept for observation by the veterinary clinic for a few days before undergoing an operation to have her spayed, which is standard procedure when treating stray cats.

On Tuesday – Valentine’s Day – Uisce was well enough to be reunited with her rescuer, Ciaran, and she was released back into her territory near the Docks.

“Luckily for Uisce, she happened to climb on board a boat that cared enough to get her out of the water and back to safety,” said the Galway SPCA spokesperson.

“A huge thank you is due to Patrick and Ciaran, and to everyone at Glenina Vets, who cared for Uisce in the past week,” they said.