Paul Robertson has been employed as a truck driver for years, and though he enjoys his job, he can sometimes get very lonely when he is out on the road. That’s why he decided to adopt a cat named Howie.

Howie spent years traveling with Paul as his dedicated companion, so when the cat passed away in 2017, the trucker was devastated. In the midst of his grief, Paul decided that he wanted to give another cat in need a forever home, so he went to an animal shelter to find one.

Workers at the shelter introduced Paul to a ginger cat named Percy, and he knew right away that this was the right cat for him.

Percy has had a difficult life, as he was found living in the streets with quite a few injuries. It was clear to staffers at the shelter that he had been in some fights, since he had an injury above his right eye, and he was missing one of his canine teeth. Despite his rough past, Percy had a sweet personality, and he bonded with Paul immediately. Within minutes, Paul made the decision to adopt him!

Percy loved being in Paul’s truck immediately, and during their first two weeks together, they drove through the Badlands and the Rocky Mountains.

“He’s very affectionate and loves to crawl on my lap, up my chest, and then rub cheeks with me,” Paul said. “He loves to play. He purrs a lot. And of course, he’s a cat: he loves to eat and he loves to snooze.”

All was going well for the pair until February of 2017, when Paul was stopped at a rest stop in Ohio. Suddenly, Percy jumped out to chase some birds, and though Paul chased after him, he was not quick enough to catch the cat. Since he had thousands of dollars of products in his truck to deliver, Paul had no choice but to drive away without Percy.

Paul was devastated at the thought of losing his cat. Then, when he reached his destination in Indiana, he saw a flash of orange by his feet. When he looked down, he saw Percy emerge from under the truck, and he realized the clever cat had stowed away!

Since then, Paul has made sure to keep an extra special eye on Percy when they travel. He can’t stand the thought of losing Percy, given how much joy the cat has brought to his life.

“The other day I caught myself laughing at one of his antics and I thought: ‘It’s nice to live alone sometimes ’cause you can have everything your own way – but I wouldn’t be laughing like this if I were alone.’ Percy is good for my spirit and soul,” Paul said.

We hope that Paul and Percy have many more happy years together!