SEATTLE -- If cats have nine lives, this one is down to eight.

The little black kitten was tossed out in the most horrible way imaginable, and one couple witnessed it.

Georgia Migliuri and her husband were driving on the highway, cruising toward a concert at the Gorge when they came across a deeply disturbing scene.

"I see this kitten fly out of the window, head first," said Migliuri.

The driver of the truck from which the kitten had flown out did not stop. The critter barely dodged the trucks' back tire.

"It just does cartwheels across the other lane and ends up in the ditch on the other side," said Migliuri.

Migliuri then slammed her brakes and ran from her car, calling the cat.

"Just 'kitty, kitty' and (it) comes running to us," she said, "but there's blood everywhere."

Bashed up and bleeding from head to tail, somehow the kitten had survived.

"She was skinned up above the eye. There's a scab on her lip," said Migliuri. "Her legs are banged up pretty badly in the back still."

The kitten didn't suffer any internal injuries, but that doesn't help ease Migliuri's anger towards its previous owner.

"Immediately I thought it was tossed out of the window, but my husband said 'don't jump to conclusions.' But they didn't stop," said Migliuri.

On Friday a veterinarian gave the kitten her shots and a clean bill of health.

Migliuri already owned too many pets, but managed to find the kitten a new owner. Its new name: Phoenix, because she rose from the ashes.