Cat missing at Dubai airport reunites with family after 10-day search
Dhaka: A Sri Lankan woman has been reunited with her pet cat, Chuuti, after a 10-day search following the animal's disappearance at Dubai International Airport, according to media reports.
Avishka Kaumadi's cat went missing from Terminal 1 on October 11, while being transported as air cargo for her flight to Sri Lanka. Staff informed her of the escape only after she had cleared immigration.
Kaumadi requested to return and search for Chuuti, spending more than an hour combing the cargo area and calling out to him. She waited at the airport for roughly 28 hours before eventually departing for Sri Lanka without her pet.
During the search, UAE-based animal rescue platforms, including @UAEanimalrescue, shared posts appealing for information on the missing cat, while airport staff reportedly left food out in hopes of drawing him out.
Ten days later, Kaumadi received word that Chuuti had been located and was safe. Specific details of the recovery, including exactly how and where he was found, have not yet been disclosed.
Describing the cat as more than a pet, Kaumadi had earlier written on social media that he was her "beloved child" and family and that the days apart had been among the most painful of her life.
Upon their reunion, Kaumadi said Chuuti responded to her voice and recognized her immediately. She noted he had lost weight from not eating during the ordeal and appeared dirty from time spent in the baggage area, though he seemed happy and relieved to be back with her.
The pair were headed to a veterinarian for a check-up following the reunion.
Kaumadi credited SriLankan Airlines, ground handler dnata and Dubai International Airport for their roles in locating her cat and thanked the online community that shared her appeals and offered support throughout the search.
She said every message and gesture of encouragement had given her strength during a period when she felt she had none left.
The case drew significant attention on social media, with Kaumadi noting afterward that the search had effectively involved much of Dubai looking out for her missing pet.
