Have you seen Breezy? Bengal show cat goes missing at DIA
The owner of a year-old Bengal cat asked on Monday for people to keep watch for the cat after it got loose at Denver International Airport Sunday night.
Ginger Thompson, who’s a disabled military veteran, said that Breezy – her support animal and show cat – got out of her carrier when someone bumped it, the safety clip came off and the zipper opened slightly on the plane before her 9:30 p.m. flight to Spokane, Washington. She tried to coax Breezy back to her, but the cat became startled and ran through the open plane door onto the bridge, then fell through a gap to the tarmac below, Thompson said.
Breezy hasn’t been seen since, she said.
“I’d do anything for my cat, and I’m so afraid she’s hurt,” Thompson said. “I’m afraid they’re not going to find her.”
A spokesperson for DIA said U.S. Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services is leading the search with support from DIA airfield operations and that they are in contact with Thompson.
Thompson, of Vancouver, Washington, had brought Breezy to Denver for a cat show at the Crowne Plaza Denver International Convention Center, where the cat was awarded in 14 of 17 finals. Breezy is ranked by The International Cat Association, Thompson said.
She got loose just before the return flight to Washington on Southwest Airlines.
“Breezy is more then a show kitty,” Thompson said on Facebook. “She and my other two are what keeps me going.”
Thompson got off the flight, which left as scheduled from Concourse C. She said she was told people were looking for her cat but didn’t see any such activity on the tarmac. As of 6:15 a.m. Monday, she said she was told by authorities that they are “keeping an eye out for” Breezy.
Members of Econo Cat Club in Denver, helped Thompson with getting a hotel room for the night and putting out the word on Breezy: “We’re a cat family. We all love our animals. This is what we do,” said member Kelly Condie.
Thompson said she plans to to stay as long as she can. There’s a GoFundMe established to help her with expenses.
If Breezy is found, the cat club members will help with the vet bills and return Breezy to Thompson, Condie said.