Cherished cat missing at JFK weeks after getting away during holiday commotion

Caught in a Cat Conundrum

The beloved black-and-white cat, Tazzy, has been missing for almost a month after she escaped from John F. Kennedy Airport during the hectic holiday season, and her owners are growing increasingly desperate.

Tazzy’s owners, who live in Queens, must relocate by the end of the month. This impending move leaves them anxious, as they worry about how they can continue searching for their beloved pet if she doesn’t return soon.

“This is the saddest thing in my life. I never expected this,” Ellen Russell, a Flushing resident, shared recently. “She’s my heart. I really don’t know what to do. I’m going to keep looking.”

The ordeal started on December 30 when Delta Airlines unexpectedly canceled Russell’s flight to Fort Myers, Florida. Although the plane was ready and passengers were waiting, a pilot was unavailable to fly it.

After hours of waiting for the return of her luggage, Russell left the airport. It was just outside Terminal 4, where Tazzy managed to sneak out of her carrier without her owner’s knowledge.

“She just jumped out and ran,” Russell recounted, clearly still in disbelief.

Since then, Russell has been frequenting the airport three or four times a week, armed with cat treats to lure Tazzy back.

With assistance from cat trapper John DeBacker and the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, they have set up traps and cameras in various airport locations, including the tarmac. They suspect Tazzy might be hiding there, as she reportedly isn’t fond of people.

Despite finding many other stray cats and sharing their photos online, Tazzy remains elusive, with no new adopters stepping forward so far.

Russell believes Tazzy is likely surviving by scavenging at night, something she has done since being rescued as a kitten four years ago. The cat was named after the Tasmanian devil from Looney Tunes, yet her temperament softened once she settled into Russell’s home.

“She was my baby. We slept together every night. Our bond was incredible,” Russell said, mentioning she is even writing a children’s book about rescue cats, inspired by Tazzy’s story.

Russell’s other cat, Curious, has also felt Tazzy’s absence deeply. “They’re always together. Now, Curious cries every night,” she noted.

As drones are not allowed, the authorities are thinking about using search dogs to help find Tazzy.

As the moving date approaches, Russell’s stress mounts. She had just finalized the purchase of her new home and was preparing to move when Tazzy escaped. “I couldn’t sleep. I blame myself. I should have checked the zipper. I thought everything was fine,” she lamented.

Russell has directed her frustration toward Delta Airlines, vowing never to fly with them again. “If we had been on that plane, this wouldn’t have happened. Who cancels a flight with passengers already onboard?” she asked incredulously.

While Delta declined to comment on the situation, Russell is planning to offer a $5,000 reward for anyone who can help bring Tazzy home. She’s even thinking of hiring local high school students to put up fliers around JFK and nearby areas.