Montreal cat found alive after two weeks loose at Toronto Pearson Airport

Caramel spent more than two weeks loose at Toronto Pearson International Airport before an airport worker's tip helped locate her in a cargo facility.

The cat was one of four travelling with Abir Batikhi from Jordan to Montreal on Aug. 17. When Batikhi arrived at Montreal's Pierre Trudeau Airport, only three cats were in their cages. Airport officials later told her Caramel had been seen in the aircraft's cargo hold at Toronto Pearson, where the flight stopped before continuing to Montreal.

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It was a big relief. It was a miracle honestly.

Officials said Caramel escaped onto the ramp near Terminal 3 and ran toward gates 29 and 30. She was found alive on Wednesday night and safely captured. Batikhi said the cat had been in the rain and was wet when she was caught, but otherwise appeared to be as she had been before.

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She's been escaping to the food. She's been eating good, she knows where to go. She's a survivor.

"It was a big relief," Batikhi said. "It was a miracle honestly." She joked that Caramel had survived by finding food around the airport and called her cat "a survivor."

Batikhi had appealed on social media to travellers passing through Pearson Airport to watch for Caramel. After the cat was found, she wrote that the support she received had given her hope during a stressful search. Pet transportation executive Darcia Rohlehr said incidents like this were extremely uncommon. Batikhi was awaiting Caramel's scheduled arrival in Montreal at 1 p.m. Friday.

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The amount of care, kindness, and support we received while searching for our beloved cat meant more to me than I can put into words.