DUSTY the cat is making a remarkable recovery after she suffered horrific injuries when she was hit by a car.

Such has been her fight back to fitness that she has been nominated for the vet charity PDSA Pet Survivor award.

Her owner Lesley May described what happened: “I live in New Bold near the forest. It was around three weeks ago when a dog came running out and chased Dusty. What we didn’t know is that she ran under my daughter Lisa’s car and hid in the engine.

“Ten minutes later Lisa drove off not knowing she was still in there. As she got close to town near McDonalds Dusty fell from under the car and got run over.”

Dusty was left with a shattered jaw, lost teeth and had to have an eye removed.

She was taken to the PDSA in Huyton for intensive treatment. Senior vet Sarah Wall said: “Once we had fully assessed her condition, x-rayed her to check for fractures and breaks, cleared her airways and gave her pain relief our next priority was to get Dusty to eat.

“After a few days of not touching her food we put Dusty on a feeding tube to help get some key nutrients into her system.”

Grandmother Lesley, 65, who has six cats said: “I don’t know how she survived. She’s only a tiny cat. A lot of people think she’s a kitten.

“I would never have found her if it wasn’t for a couple who phoned me after getting my number off her tag. I want to thank them because she would probably have died under a hedge.

“Up to now Dusty has had about five operations and was at the vets for nearly two weeks. Her mouth was so sore at first but now we have got her eating chicken and fish. She won’t eat cat food any more.

“My daughter was heartbroken and blamed herself even though I said it was just one of those things.”

The winner of the Pet Survivor of the Year Award will be announced this weekend.

Judge and PDSA Senior Vet Elaine Pendlebury said: “Cats love to hide in warm, dark places and cars can make for deadly cubbyholes. Dusty was extremely lucky to survive this ordeal.”