Missing Oregon cat found by Aberdeen family

An Aberdeen family was instrumental in reuniting a man with his cat more than two months after she slipped out of his car at an eastern Oregon rest area.

The East Oregonian reported that Antonio Martinez had stopped at the Deadman Pass rest area 18 miles east of Pendleton during his move from Texas to Beaverton.

While he was there, his 4-year-old tabby Korra got out of the vehicle, and the man and his father searched the rest area but could not find the cat, posting details about the escape on the Eastern Oregon Pet Lovers Facebook page and contacting the Pendleton PAWS animal shelter.

“My female tabby cat, Korra is missing. She jumped out of my car at Dead Man Pass rest area near Pendleton, OR on Sunday morning of September 15th, 2019. I searched everywhere but couldn’t find her. She has no collar but she’s chipped. Please if anyone sees her contact me immediately. She’s my only cat and I miss her very much. It terrifies me to think of her alone with wild animals in this cold weather.”

Last week, Robert Holt of Aberdeen was heading home when he stopped at the rest area and spotted Korra, using an old ham sandwich to lure the cat into his car with his wife and four children.

“Once inside the car, the cat was purring and happy,” Holt said.

Holt’s wife made calls until reaching an animal rescue person who took Korra home overnight and then to the Pendleton shelter.

After checking her microchip, Martinez and Korra were reunited in outside a pet store in Clackamas.

“I was worried she might not recognize me,” he said, “but as soon as she sniffed my hand, she immediately started purring.”

Korra has since settled in to Martinez’s new home in Beaverton, where she is recovering.

“She was skin and bones,” Martinez said. “She is gaining it back slowly and seems pretty hungry.”