A cat custody battle has ignited a heated debate over the rightful owner of ‘Bob the Cat,’ with two individuals staking their claim to the beloved feline. The dispute centers around Alex Streight in North Carolina and Carol Holmes of Wichita, Kansas, both asserting their ownership of Bob, a 14-year-old tuxedo cat who recently resurfaced after disappearing over a decade ago.
Carol Holmes, hailing from Wichita, Kansas, adopted Bob in 2013, only to have him vanish a few months later. Concurrently, a woman named Alex Streight, residing in Wichita at the time, asserted that she discovered Bob in dire condition outdoors.
Streight recounts, “He was in horrible shape. I fed him, kept looking for [the] owner. I posted in the Wichita groups, but I never found anyone.” She took the ailing cat to a local veterinarian, with no mention of a microchip check.
In 2015, Streight relocated approximately 1,800 miles to Fuquay-Varina, North Carolina, bringing Bob, whom she had affectionately renamed Maui, along with her family. Streight provided photographic evidence of Maui lounging on her couch as recently as August 19, in addition to numerous photos and videos showcasing the cat’s close bond with her family, including children and other pets, throughout the past decade.
However, on August 19, a neighbor brought Maui to the Five Points Animal Hospital in Fuquay-Varina for a checkup after the cat had been wandering. A microchip scan revealed Carol Holmes as the registered owner of the cat, prompting Holmes to express her excitement at finally reuniting with her long-lost pet.
To resolve the ownership dispute, the animal hospital requested that Streight provide records related to the microchip to substantiate her claim. They maintained that this was the only way to definitively determine ownership.
Streight, although having produced vet records for the cat’s medical history, had never personally microchipped Maui. In her attempt to reclaim the cat, she visited the magistrate’s office earlier, intending to file a larceny warrant for the cat. It was during this visit that she learned Maui had been taken to Animal Control.
Upon accompanying Streight to the animal control facility, it was disclosed that she would not be regaining custody of the cat on that day. Dr. Jennifer Federico of Wake County Animal Control stated that the cat was in protective custody, and an investigation into the matter would commence.
“Microchipping proves ownership, so we have to take that into consideration and launch a full investigation,” explained Federico.
The situation has stirred significant attention, with locals expressing their concerns to the vet’s office. Streight, unwavering in her determination to reunite with Maui, remains committed to pursuing the return of her feline companion.
