According to the County of San Diego Department of Animal Services, he’d curled up inside a vehicle parked near his home in Santee. The car’s owner then went for a drive, completely oblivious to the animal’s presence.

As she drove through Grantville, bystanders spotted the cat partially hanging out of the bumper. They flagged the driver down and used a crowbar to set Gnocchi free.

“Amazingly, the cat is fine!” the department wrote on Facebook. Gnocchi, who is microchipped, was reunited with his owners on Friday.

County Animal Services Deputy Director Daniel DeSousa reminded car owners that animals can become trapped inside and issued advice on how to avoid similar incidents.

“If you park your car outside, tap the hood of the car or tap your horn lightly to alert any animals that might be looking for warmth from your car’s engine,” he told the San Diego County News Center. “Tapping will scare them and they’ll run off.”