Bus firm trying to track down owners of stowaway cat

The cat is thought to have boarded the bus for the 30 minute journey from Backwell to Bristol

A bus company is trying to track down the owners of a stowaway cat discovered hitching a ride on board.

The black and white cat arrived at Bristol Bus Station on Thursday, on an X1 First Bus service from Weston-super-Mare.

Driver, Julia Reynolds, said she thinks it hopped on around Backwell in Somerset.

First Bus West of England took to social media to post an appeal to track down the cat's owners, adding it was given food, water and a comfortable bed for the night.

First Bus staff have ensured that the cat is being well cared for

Despite being microchipped, the team have been unable to reach her owners, but records show she was once linked to an address near Birnbeck Pier, Weston-super-Mare.

"She's clearly a clever pussy with cattitude," the company posted on Facebook, adding that she was coincidentally found on International Cat Day.

The post has received more than 100 comments and almost 300 shares from concerned members of the community, with some even offering to provide food and shelter for the adventurous feline.

The cat is microchipped and wearing a collar

Christian Lockyer from First West of England said the cat had experienced "24 hours of luxury" in the care of staff.

"The problem we've got now is that everyone in the office is falling in love, so we may struggle to see her go," he said.

Mr Lockyer said staff had visited the address listed on the microchip, but it appeared the owners had moved out about eight years ago.

"Potentially this cat has been stray for quite a long time and has just been darting around all over the place.

"We think the doors have opened, people are loading on, and this cat has sort of slipped in through the doors and thought 'I'll take a free ride up to Bristol'."

Mr Lockyer said First is determined to reunite the cat with its family or find it a new one.