Cat that hitched ride to Florida reunited with owner

ATLANTA — A Brookhaven woman is trying to figure out how her cat ended up 500 miles away.

Ashley Moore says she lost her cat Ava, a 2-year-old Tiffany cat, on a Sunday.

Four days later she received a post card saying Ava had been found in Vero Beach, Florida.

Moore believes Ava may have hitched a ride by climbing underneath a vehicle.

“She could’ve gotten in the car with anyone,” said Moore.  “She is so friendly. Or she could’ve jumped in the back of a U-Haul.”

A resident of Vero Beach found Ava wandering around and took her to the local Humane Society.

The Humane Society scanned the cat and found a microchip, but unfortunately, the number connected to the chip had been disconnected.

The shelter did some detective work and was able to find an address for Moore’s father. The shelter says they sent him a letter saying Ava was safe at their shelter and they could come get her.

The family planned to have Ava transported back to Georgia, but at the last minute, their arrangements fell through so the shelter stepped up and volunteered to drive Ava back home to Georgia.

“I’m so happy (the Humane Society) was able to do this,” said Moore, who said she never thought she’d see Ava again.

The shelter met Moore in Savannah and returned Ava to her.

“I guess Ava decided to take a vacation in Vero Beach, but I’m so happy she’s finally back with me,” Moore said shortly after she was reunited with her cat.

The shelter’s director who made the drive says she was just happy she could help and she hopes other pet owners will learn from Ava’s story.

“We were thrilled to find Ava’s family and reunite them,” said Maria Ramirez, the shelter’s Director of Animal Care. “Ava’s story has such a happy ending that we hope it will encourage other pet parents to microchip and ID their own pets and make certain their contact information is always kept up to date.”

WSBTV