Officials at the Wake County Animal Center have confirmed that a cat, the subject of a custody dispute spanning multiple states, will soon be reunited with its owner in Kansas.
Several weeks ago, the feline in question was brought to the 5-Points Animal Hospital in Fuquay-Varina after being discovered outdoors. During a routine examination, veterinarians identified a microchip, revealing that the cat belonged to an owner named Carol Holmes, residing in Wichita.
Carol Holmes recounted that a decade ago, her cat, affectionately named Bob, had ventured outside and subsequently disappeared. Coincidentally, during that period, Alexandra Streight reported that the very same cat, whom she named Maui, had made an appearance on her property in Kansas.
Streight took the cat into her care, where it has remained for the past ten years. When her family relocated to Fuquay-Varina, the feline tagged along. Streight was unaware of the cat’s existing microchip, as she had never taken steps to have one implanted.
Since the cat’s discovery in Wake County, both Streight and Holmes have asserted their rightful ownership of the animal. On Monday, the Wake County Animal Center collaborated with the County Attorney’s Office to reach a decision regarding the cat’s custody, ultimately concluding that the cat should be returned to its original owner, Holmes, in Kansas.
A representative from the Animal Center issued a statement, affirming the resolution: “Ms. Holmes has provided confirmation of her ownership of the cat, affirming that she had no intention of abandoning the cat when it went missing from her property. She expresses her desire to reclaim her beloved pet and has the means to arrange for the cat’s transportation back to her residence in Kansas.”
