“I’ll never forget the sound of her meow when I held her again”: Community rallies to rescue lost cat after lyft driver left vet stop without realizing pet was still inside

Author image for Laurent Shinar
Laurent Shinar • Writer and Editor
Aug 4, 2025 4:00 PM EDT

Cat rescues do not often have a prequel to them, they usually begin at the point of rescue. But today we have quite the rollercoaster ride of emotions as we get the prequel and the full story all in one tasty morsel. So join us as we delve into the story of one woman who discovered what true terror is when she innocently tried to take her catto to the vet, but wound up in a Taken style detective hunt to bring her poor cat child home as soon as possible.

And with a lot of hard work from herself, the taxi company she thought she could trust and some random internet volunteers her feline fur baby was returned to her safe and sound, but the journey to get there was nothing less than perilous and required a heck of a lot of persistence. But that is what it takes to be a cat momma.
 

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  • 01
    I don't know what else to do at this point so this is a hail Mary. I was taking my cat to a vet appointment at the Bansfield pet hospital (1... _e TV 10C... ´)), I
    via palashpandey9
  • 02
    was sitting behind the driver and had the cat carrier on the floor of the passenger side back seat. Once we reached, I got off from the driver side door and started walking to the passenger side door to pick her up.
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  • 03
    Before I could open the door, the driver started driving. I banged on the back and passenger windows and screamed running behind him but he drove off.
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  • Oh goodness, this is not a good situation to start from. What an intensely stressful experience to go through. To know that your cat child is being driven away, without even an inkling as to why, and that your frantic attempts to save your baby have led to nothing more than your hands feeling a bit sore from hitting the vehicle that took your precious baby. Heartbreaking stuff.

  • 05
    I tried contacting the driver through lyft. They were not helpful at all. You can only send three messages and call the driver there times. The driver didn't respond for about 2 hours and then said that he doesn't have her.
    via palashpandey9
  • 06
    I called 911 but they transferred me over to 311 and filed a report. I have not heard back from anyone yet. I don't know what else to do. The driver has
    via palashpandey9
  • 07
    stopped responding again and I don't have any way of contacting him other than the app. I have offered them money for bringing her back but they just don't respond. Is there anyone who can help?! What else can I do?!
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  • 08
    LOST CAT noss Last seen on 09/30 at 3:30 PM outside of Banfield Pet Hospital 11150 Research Blvd Ste 100A, Austin, TX 78759. She has a red heart shaped pendant on her neck. She is in need of medical attention. Please take her to a shelter ASAP if found. Tux Last seen in blue carrier More info on Tux (scan QR) CALL 346-402-7585 IF FOUND
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  • 09
    About my cat: Tux is a shorthair black and white tuxedo. She has a blue collar with a red colored heart shaped pendant with her name and my phone number on it. She was in a blue soft
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  • 10
    it. She was in a blue soft carrier case when I was traveling with her in the car. Update 1 UPDATE: The driver just called me. He said multiple things:
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    1: He called me because APD contacted him. He said he wanted to reach out to me directly to share what he knows.
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    2: He claims he is allergic to cats and "would have canceled the ride if he knew I had a cat in the carrier". I am very doubtful.
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  • Sorry what? If the driver is contacting the petrified pawrent, then why is the first thing he said not about the whereabouts of her cat and how he can help her find her poor cat child before anything happens to him? Where is the responsibility and respect? To error is hooman, but so is to make up for your errors.

  • 13
    3: He said that he drove off quickly because he got startled.
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    4: He said that he picked up several people after me. He picked a party of two in Lamar down 183 right after he dropped me off. He then picked up and dropped off people in south Austin.
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    UPDATE 2: I have gone through the dumpsters of all the gas stations on the way from the hospital to 183 and Lamar last night. I haven't found anything yet. I have reached out to Lyft to ask them if they can share the
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  • 16
    contact info of riders after me or share my info with them but haven't heard back yet. APD officers I talked to last night said that a detective would contact me early morning today so I'm waiting for that
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    call. I have shared all the updates I have till now with the officer whose contact information I have.
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  • 19
    UPDATE 3: I talked with the driver again to offer them money but they said they don't know where she is. I asked them if they remember anything more and they said they picked people from apartments in North Lamar and
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  • 20
    dropped them near the In-n-out near the UT fraternities. I'm printing out flyers and going to post them at both of those locations.
    via palashpandey9
  • 21
    I beg you all to not harass the driver. I'm very suspicious but I don't have any hard evidence against him. I don't want people to harass someone who hasn't been found guilty of anything yet. I thank you all again for your help
    via palashpandey9
  • 22
    UPDATE 4: Hey everyone, someone here suggested that it might be worth it to visit homeless encampments because they might have picked her up from the sidewalk. I'm not very
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  • 23
    familiar with the area, can someone please send a list of potential areas I should visit? I can go there and pass out flyers and offer a reward. He said he went to North Lamar from bansfield hospital to anything on that route
    via palashpandey9
  • 24
    would be the best. Also, I just spoke to KVUE. They said they will run a segment at 10 PM tonight and put it on their social media as well. I'm really
    via palashpandey9
  • 25
    hoping someone picked her up thinking she was abandoned and would bring her back after seeing this. Thanks so much again.
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  • 26
    UPDATE 5: Just got off the phone with APD again. They said they have assigned the car to the animal cruelty unit and have multiple officers working on the case. The officer said that
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    usually they prioritize other cars over animal cases because it's property crime but because of all of you guys they have a large team of people following multiple leads. They have already reached out to Lyft and have for the rider and
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  • 29
    Contact Daniel You called Daniel on September 30, 2023 4:29:49 PM CDT I don't know why you are saying you haven't found it There's no where else she can go call me back, do you want more money? i want my cat back You called Daniel on September 30, 2023 at 4:35.56 PM CDT I can pick her up from where you are You called Daniel on September 30, 2023 at 4:39:14 PM CDT Message Daniel
    via palashpandey9
  • 30
    GPS data and and following up on it right now.
    via palashpandey9
  • 31
    I also just got a call from a Lyft executive, they said they are trying to help organize a search party with their people in Austin. They are also trying to find footage of the car from other cameras around.
    via palashpandey9
  • 32
    ← Your request (20400/447) has been updated. To add additional comments, reply to this email. You are receiving this email because you submitted a support request. If you did not submit a request for help, no further action is required. lyf Yasmine (Lyft) Sep 30, 2023, 9:30 PM CDT Hello, Palash, Thanks for reaching out and for letting us know about this. I am so sorry to hear that your cat was still in the vehicle when the driver drove off. I can only imagine the anger and sadness you are feelin
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  • 33
    UPDATE 6: One of our fellow Redditors has graciously offered her time for a group search. We are going to start at the banfield hospital at 9:15 tomorrow.
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  • 34
    I got a call earlier saying someone saw a cat that looked like Tux at the UT campus (Osborne and Co) as well and I'm searching there right now but haven't had any luck yet.
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  • 35
    UPDATE 7: The investigators from Lyft found Tux! She was at The did not find her carrier.
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    Snippet from the investigator who found her: "Cat ran up a set of stairs on the back of the building next to it. The team was able to get her caught up at the top of the stairs and she was too scared to jump from up there. I was able to give
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  • 38
    my over shirt to the team member at top of the stairs to wrap her up in and had an extra cat carrier that I brought with me just in case of." She looks very tired, is covered in fleas and dehydrated. She started
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  • 40
    eating wet food again which is a good sign but I'll monitor her and take her to the vet as soon as she calms down and stabilizes a bit. I would update again once I hear from the vet.
    via palashpandey9
  • 41
    Thank you everyone. I cannot thank each and everyone of you enough.
    via palashpandey9

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inside never lyft reddit story community driver cat story Lost Cat rally sound meow pet vet forgot realize rescue
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