Cat crawled into a UGA student's car frame and survived an 11-hour drive. She only discovered it when a little paw poked out
When Jadyn Sawyer realized there was a cat trapped underneath her car, she called her mom to tell her
Jadyn Sawyer, a University of Georgia (UGA) student, had just returned to her campus in Athens after an 800-mile, nearly 11-hour drive from New Jersey. Everything seemed normal until she noticed a little paw reaching out from underneath her car. Sawyer had no idea that a furry passenger had hitched a ride all the way from New Jersey to Athens, Atlanta News First reported. The video was shared on August 13, 2026, and it received over 2,500 views, 95 likes, and 14 comments.
Snug and stuck
When Jadyn Sawyer realized there was a cat trapped underneath her car, she called her mom to tell her. Her mother gave her a simple solution, "Roll down the windows," but Sawyer explained, "Not in that way – it’s IN my car." Not knowing how to get it out, she called the campus police when she got to UGA. Unfortunately, the officers could not get him out either, so they reached out to Kelly Bettinger from Cat Zip Alliance. Bettinger reached out to Tires Plus because "he was so jammed in up under the undercarriage." She explained, "We could not get him out. UGA police had some tools; they started taking bolts out, and we still could not get to him."
Jersey
When Tires Plus arrived, they dismantled different parts of Sawyer's car and finally freed him. Chris Hinely from Tires Plus and his team helped free the cat. Hinely could not understand why the cat chose to crawl inside the car during the summer months. He said, "You usually see it in cooler months when they’re looking for somewhere warm... But that fella had a long ride." Sawyer also told the news outlet, "I’m a cat lover. I love cats. And so, I felt it was my responsibility that if something bad happened to it, I would not be able to forgive myself." They named the cat 'Jersey' in honor of the 800-mile trip he made. Thankfully, Jersey is doing well and will be up for adoption soon.
Cat distribution system
As the outlet mentioned, Jersey is in good hands and will be looking for his forever home soon. As per the 2023 Pet Adoption Statistics, the majority (31%) of American families get their cats from shelters, and 28% got them from friends or family. Another 27% were taken in as strays. Perhaps Jersey's unexpected arrival is the ultimate example of what cat lovers jokingly call the “cat distribution system” — the idea that you don't always choose a cat; sometimes, a cat simply finds you. Who knows? Maybe Sawyer would take in Jersey too.
Take him home
People in the comments were relieved that Jersey survived the 11-hour journey unharmed. A few others hoped that Sawyer would adopt her little unexpected road trip buddy. @ChristineG-f3d commented, "Who wants to bet she adopts this cat and her parents come get it if she lives in a dorm?" @CandiceKumai wrote, "Sweetie, we are so happy all saved her! Thank you for this story!"
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