Cat Missing at Dubai Airport Leaves Owner Awaiting News
Incident at Dubai Airport
Avishka Kaumadi had planned to travel to Sri Lanka with her cat on October 11, intending to check the animal in as air cargo. She arrived at Dubai International Airport for the flight scheduled to depart at 11 pm.
She told us that she finished the necessary paperwork and paid the fees before the cat was inspected. After the inspection, the animal was placed back in its carrier once its details matched the documents. This took place between roughly 8:30 pm and 9:25 pm.
After clearing immigration and entering the duty‑free zone, she received a call from an airline staff member saying the cat had got out of its carrier.
Kaumadi asked to go back to look for the pet but was informed she needed permission. When asked whether she would fly to Sri Lanka without the cat, she replied, “I clearly told him that I would not board the flight without my cat.”
Search Efforts
Around midnight she was escorted to the cargo area to search. Together with the staff member she called the cat and tried to attract its attention for over an hour, but poor lighting made it hard to see. The search failed to find the animal, and she was taken back to the boarding area where a room was provided.
She said she stayed at the airport for about 28 hours waiting for news of her missing pet.
On October 12 she returned to the airport to follow up. During the day she was shown another white cat to check if it was hers, but she confirmed it was not her animal.
She was advised to go back to Sri Lanka while the search continued, and her contact details were recorded so she could receive updates.
Follow‑up and Current Status
That evening she met a representative of the Dubai Airport Management Team to discuss what would happen if the cat was located. The representative said arrangements could be made to send the cat to Sri Lanka even if it took several weeks.
Five days after the cat disappeared on October 11, Kaumadi is still waiting for information about its whereabouts and hopes to learn when she might be reunited with her pet.
Updates can be followed through the Instagram account UAEanimalcommunity, which focuses on helping animals across the UAE.
