Kitten, 1,000-mile trip, three-week-old ,Julia Di Sieno

A three-week-old kitten astonishingly survived after being stuck inside the engine compartment of Honda Fit for a 1,000 mile excursion from Oregon to Santa Barbara, California.

The short-haired kitten had managed to crawl into the engine and when the driver thought she heard a cat 'meow', but quickly shrugged it off and went ahead with the trip, the New York Daily News reported.

But when she reached her destination she had to seek the help of Julia Di Sieno, executive director and co-founder of Animal Rescue Team, Inc to help the kitten that could be heard but not seen.

Di Sieno called the police, who in turn contacted Chuck Love of Love's Towing, who has been police towing for more than five decades.

Love arrived and lifted up the car so that Di Sieno could go underneath and look for the animals.

She had to tranquilize the kitten so he would stop stirring.

Little Love was taken out successfully and did not suffer any severe injuries.

The gray feline was given the moniker Love after the tow truck driver, who helped save him Saturday afternoon.

An elated 71-year-old Chuck told the publication that the cat had a look in its eyes like it was saying, 'thank you'.

Little Love is expected to make a full recovery and then will be put up for adoption.