HARRY the cat has earned his new 'Houdini' nickname after escaping death by a whisker when he was hit by a car.
The fortunate feline, who must surely have used up a couple of his nine lives, was discovered injured by owner Richard Park on Monday last week at 9pm in Worcester Road, Cowley.
Mr Park, 24, who lives in the same road, immediately rushed Harry to an emergency vet's surgery, where staff were able to treat him for a fractured skull.
Happily, Harry survived the procedure, but Mr Park has urged speeding drivers to slow down, fearing next time it will not be a cat, but a child who is hit.
He said: "Our Harry could have been a child, as there are so many who play out on our street during the summer holidays, and this story may not have had such a happy ending.
"I think motorists need to drive with an extra air of caution especially on the residential 30mph roads.
"The days are getting shorter and as the evenings get darker the roads become unsafe.
"Thankfully, Harry is OK now, and is well on the way back to his old self."
Vet Daniel Doherty, 40, who runs an emergency 24-hour clinic in Cowley and operated on Harry, echoed Mr Park's concerns.
He said: "If the driver had observed the limit they would have seen Harry, and the cat would also have had time to react.
"If Harry had been found 10 minutes later he probably wouldn't be with us.
"He was in a bad way - his head was almost crushed by the car - but he has made a miraculous recovery and his owner is delighted to have his cat back at home."
