A ginger tabby cat sneaked inside a shipping container in Egypt before embarking on a mammoth 3,000 mile trip to Herefordshire - without food and water . The kitten , who has since been named Sinbad , was discovered by puzzled staff at Mediterranean Linens in Moreton-on-Lugg , Hereford . They heard meows coming from inside the container , which was carrying laundry linen . The RSPCA was called out to investigate and there they found the exhausted and ravenous eight-month-old kitten , who had made a bed for himself in one of the boxes . Sinbad the cat survived a 3,000 mile and 17 day journey from Egypt to Hereford in a shipping container . Sinbad with vet Amy Wheelr ( left ) and RSPCA inspector Pippa Boyd ( right ) , who was called out by the company to investigate after they heard strange noises coming from the container . Laura Quinn , from the RSPCA , described the case as 'unique ' and said it was incredible Sinbad had survived the 17-day journey . She told MailOnline : 'When we found him , he was really hungry , thirsty and tired but he also looked really friendly and was quite vocal . 'It 's really unique , we 've not had anything like this before . He had travelled quite some way . The linen company were also shocked by what had happened . ' RSPCA inspector Pippa Boyd , who was called out to the scene , added : 'The company showed me the paperwork . They have to seal the containers and put a tag on there , which they did when the container left . They showed me the paperwork and the tag , and it did all match up . We thought maybe at customs someone might have opened it up , but they did n't . ' Once found , Sinbad was taken to the Laurels Veterinary Surgery in Whitecross , Hereford , where he was fed a little at a time . He has now gone into quarantine in Bristol for four months . He will then go to an RSPCA centre for checks and it is hoped he will then be re-homed . This map shows the route taken by Sinbad took , from Alexandria Port in Egypt to Moreton-on-Lugg , Hereford . Sinbad , a ginger tabby , was found in the container where he had made a bed for himself in one of the boxes . RSPCA inspector Pippa Boyd said it was an incredible feat to have survived the 17 days and hard to believe . His epic journey began at the Nile Linen group in Alexandria port in Egypt on March 8 . The container got to El-Dekheila port on March 9 , Felixstowe in Suffolk on March 24 and then Moreton-on-Lugg on March 25 . Graham Monteath , 56 , managing director at Mediterranean Linens , said they could not work out what the noise was when the shipping container arrived . He said : ' I have never heard a cat meow like that in my life . I would never have thought that was a cat . 'One of the lads thought it was a baby . I thought it could have been a buzzard trying to get into the warehouse because we do get lots of them around here . ' I just turned round and thought `` good God ' , what is that ? '' Then this cat 's head popped out of the door . 'We checked the seal and it had not been tampered with . It was very odd . The RSPCA woman said that she was very surprised how well the cat looked . 'It had scratched open one of the boxes . There was not much of a mess but we did not use any of the linen by that . ' He added : ' I gave him the beef which was for my lunch . He scoffed it . 'So he got some good British food for his first meal on English soil . ' Sinbad , the ginger tabby cat , started his epic journey in Alexandria port in Egypt ( pictured ) on March 8 . The container carrying the cat got to El-Dekheila port on March 9 , Felixstowe in Suffolk ( pictured ) on March 24 . After covering 3,000 miles and following his 17 day ordeal without food and water , he arrived at the Mediterranean Linens ( pictured ) in Moreton-on-Lugg , Hereford . The quarantine stay will cost the RSPCA almost £2,000 , so an appeal page has been set up to cover costs . Mediterranean Linens has donated £100 . Donations have also been received from Paragon Laundry/ Clean Linen Services and Fresh Linen . So far more than £1,500 has been raised .
Journey started at yer Linen Group in Alexandria port in Egypt on March 28 . After 17 day and 3,000 mile trip , arrived in Moreton - on - Lugg in Hereford . Staff heard meows from inside container , which had laundry bags in . Called out RSPCA who found ravenous eight - month - old kitten , Sinbad . Given two pounds of British pounds which was a company director 's salary . Has gone into quarantine for four weeks and then hopes to be re - homed .