‘It’s been 11 years’: Lost cat reunited with owner at airport after more than a decade apart

ATLANTA (WANF/Gray News) - A cat that disappeared from its home in Oregon, Wisconsin, in 2013 was found 806 miles away in Dillard, Georgia, and returned to its owner.

Dave Dexter, the cat’s owner said, “It’s been 11 years” since he last saw his furry friend.

As he waited Thursday in the South Terminal of Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, Dexter said he hadn’t seen Rutherford “Rudy” B. Cat since June 2013.

Dexter and the person who would reunite him with his cat, Mark Arbitter, quickly discovered how tricky navigating the world’s busiest airport can be.

“You’ll see us when you walk in,” Dexter said over the phone.

However, it turned out not to be as easy as that.

Eventually, the two men did find each other, and the orange tabby was reunited with his owner.

“In the back of our mind, there was a hint of hope that someday we’d see him again,” Dexter said.

The Arbitters traveled almost three hours from Dillard to Atlanta to deliver Rutherford.

“He was found on the border of North Carolina in Dillard, Georgia on the side of the road, laying down on his side, not moving,” Arbiter said.

Arbitter said Rutherford was rescued by teenagers and brought back to life by Arbitter Veterinary Hospital (AVH) in Dillard, which is owned by Arbitter’s father.

“If he’d been out there for a day or two more, he was for sure going to die,” Arbitter said.

Not only did he survive, but Rutherford now has a chance at a “meow-y” Christmas.

“This might very well be his first Christmas,” Dexter said.

Rutherford was identified by his microchip, which AVH scanned, giving them Dexter’s phone number. Dexter said this situation is proof of the efficacy of microchipping your pets.

Dexter said he has given Rutherford a somewhat new name.

“Rutherford B. Strays,” Dexter said.

He also has a much shorter trip back to a warm home.

“What else can you do but feel good for the guy,” Dexter said. “He made it home 11 years later.”