In Minnesota, a routine day at work took a surprising turn when employees unloading a shipping container from China saw something unexpected — the crate suddenly moved.
Startled and unsure of what they were dealing with, the crew quickly shut the container doors and called for help. What they discovered was something no one could have imagined: a cat, frightened and frail, had somehow survived a 7,000-mile, three-week journey locked inside the container.
Companion Animal Control transporter Dawn Danneker was dispatched to the scene. She found the terrified feline tucked beneath a massive wooden pallet deep in the container — a space so tight and heavy that even a forklift couldn’t budge it.
“I didn’t have any tools thin or long enough to reach her,” Danneker told The Dodo. “She had no way out — and she wouldn’t have survived much longer on her own.”
Outside, temperatures were pushing 100 degrees. Danneker and the crew propped open the container just enough to let in some cooler air, then set humane traps with food and waited. Hours passed.
At 5:30 the next morning, Danneker got the call: the cat had entered a trap.
“She looked so tiny, curled up like that,” Danneker said. “But once she stood, I realized how thin she really was.”
Emaciated and exhausted, the young cat had defied the odds. Danneker suspects she survived by catching the occasional rodent and licking condensation for water. Her resilience hinted that she had been healthy and well-fed before she accidentally found herself trapped in the container.
Too frightened to be handled, she was rushed to the Northwoods Humane Society, where staff gave her space to rest and begin her recovery. They named her Stowaway — a fitting name for a traveler who hadn’t intended to travel at all.
“She’s been through something incredibly traumatic,” Danneker said. “She’s lucky to be alive.”
Stowaway is now living in a calm foster home through Pet Haven of Minnesota, where she’s getting regular meals, gentle care, and a quiet place to heal. Still scared and cautious, she’s been placed in Pet Haven’s Wallflower Program, which helps shy animals learn to trust again.
“She’s slowly coming out of her shell,” said Kerry Damato of Pet Haven. “We’re going to help her bloom.”
Stowaway’s incredible journey isn’t over — she’s still looking for a loving forever home. But now, surrounded by patient people and safe at last, she finally has the chance to recover, trust, and grow.
If you’re interested in adopting Stowaway, you can apply at Pet Haven’s website.
