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A three month old kitten survived an almost week long journey hidden inside a truck traveling from Türkiye to Germany, after being discovered by police and customs officers during a routine inspection on a motorway in southern Germany, authorities said on Thursday.
Officers stopped the lorry near the city of Wurzburg, where they heard loud and persistent meowing coming from inside the vehicle, prompting customs officials to inspect the cargo area more closely.
The truck was transporting machinery parts, and during the search officers found the exhausted kitten curled up in a narrow empty space among the freight, showing clear signs of dehydration and fatigue after the long journey.
According to statements from German customs authorities, the animal had likely traveled thousands of kilometers inside the sealed truck without access to food or water, a journey that officials described as highly unusual given the conditions and duration involved.
After the discovery, officers escorted the vehicle to a customs office in the nearby city of Schweinfurt, where the kitten received initial attention before being transferred to a local animal shelter for further care.
Shelter staff reported that the kitten, estimated to be around three months old, is now recovering well and responding positively to treatment, although veterinarians placed it under observation due to exhaustion caused by the journey.
As a precaution, the animal will remain in short term quarantine for rabies, in line with German animal health regulations, before completing the necessary vaccinations.
Once the recovery and quarantine period ends, authorities said the kitten will be cleared for adoption and allowed to find a new home in Germany.
Customs officials did not provide details on how the kitten entered the truck or where exactly the journey began in Türkiye, noting that the incident appears accidental rather than deliberate, with the focus remaining on animal welfare and transport conditions rather than criminal intent.
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