Kent kitten returned to owner after travelling 140 miles in two strangers' cars

CREDIT: JESSICA JULIEN
The ginger tabby's adventures have gained traction on social media pages. Credit: Jessica Julien / Facebook

A kitten has gained traction on Facebook after travelling 140 miles round trip in two cars.

Sox, a ginger tabby cat from Herne Bay in Kent, got all the way up to South London before being returned to his owner, Jessica Roe, on Tuesday night (13 June).

His 70-mile journey began two days prior, on Sunday afternoon, when he jumped into a stranger's car and travelled to a neighbouring seaside town.

The woman took him to a vet in Whitstable, but Sox ran off, finding his way into another vehicle that was making its way to London.

Sox has a habit for going missing and during these disappearances has been know to visit a swimming pool, café, and a school. Credit: Jessica Roe/Facebook

The driver of the vehicle, Jacqui O'Connor, realised the cat was an unexpected passenger on the way back from the beach, travelling to her home in Wallington in South London.

Mrs Roe said: "I wasn't even aware he was missing. I had been at my mum's for a bbq and I got a message on Sunday to say that he had escaped in Whitstable"

"When I discovered he had jumped into another car and got all the way to London I was just like what are we going to do."

A follower of his page on Facebook, Martin Head, contacted Mrs Roe to say he was travelling back home from Stonehenge and would pass where Sox was staying.

Mr Head and Sox arrived back in Herne Bay on Tuesday evening after the cat, who belongs to Mrs Roe's six-year-old son, had spent the entire journey sitting on Mr Head's lap.

Sox was reunited with Jessica and her two children on Tuesday night. Credit: Jessica Roe / Facebook

Mrs Roe said: "We decided to try and ground him and keep him in for a few days, however, it didn't last long and he was back out the very next day. He seemed happy to be back home with his brother Tigs and my boys were both so happy to have him home, he just acted like nothing had even happened.

"His brother Tigs doesn't go anywhere other than my road and the neighbour's back gardens whereas Sox will go anywhere and everywhere. He even sits at the zebra crossing and looks both ways and waits for the cars to stop before crossing."

Sox has a very different personality to his brother Tigs, who enjoys spending time at home. Credit: Jessica Roe / Facebook

The cat's wandering habits have gained traction on social media - causing Mrs Roe to start a Facebook page dedicated to his adventures.

Mrs Roe said: "Since having his page I'm a lot more calm about his whereabouts as he's always out and I generally only see him late at night.

"The Facebook page idea came from a couple of people commenting on our local herne bay page as he ended up on there 8 times in 2 weeks. I was very stressed as people would take him to the vet then I would have to leave work or my mums to go and collect him.

Sox will be turning one in July and has been going out since he was three-months-old. Credit: Jessica Roe / Facebook

"It's amazing how many people Sox's page has now reached I can't actually believe it. When we set the page up my son was so excited when he got to 50 members.

"I can't wait to tell him today that we now have over 1200."

Mrs Roe says he has previously winded up in a nightclub, as well as in an Amazon delivery truck and a kebab shop.

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