Longhaul cat goes loco

A Wellington train was delayed for 30 minutes after a stowaway moggy from Wairarapa scratched the driver so badly he needed bandages.
KiwiRail's marketing and communications manager Nigel Parry said the grey short-hair male boarded at a Wairarapa station on Thursday and was later discovered at Wellington station in a closed carriage.
The train manager tried to catch the cat and put him in a box for the SPCA but the cat scratched him so severely he required medical attention and KiwiRail had to find a replacement driver.
Mr Parry said animal passengers in general were a rarity and KiwiRail had no plans to expand into the cat commuter market.
"It's very unusual indeed, in fact when I spoke to the train manager after his hand had been bandaged up he said he had been working in trains for four decades and it was first time he has been attacked by a cat."
He believed it boarded the train at a Wairarapa station but the cat had so far refused to reveal which one.
The cat would also not discuss whether its journey to Wellington was for business or pleasure, but based on its reaction Mr Parry suggested it was an important engagement.
KiwiRail sets no fare price for felines and in this instance it was likely the cat would not be charged the usual $18 for an adult day excursion. "We have no intention to charge a fare and we are obviously appealing for the owner to contact the Wellington SPCA for its return. We can also assure we won't be charging the owner a fare."
Read more about this story - Stowaway cat 'off the rails'