Jack the Cat Lost at JFK Airport in NYC For 2 Months Dies After Being Found
A cat that gained international notoriety when it went missing for two months at JFK airport was euthanized Sunday by New York veterinarians due to its deteriorating injuries.
Found 12 days ago, the famous cat affectionately known as Jack The Cat was checked into the American Airline’s cargo area on Aug. 25 for a flight from New York to California. The airline later reported him missing during the run-up to Hurricane Irene.
During the time he was lost, the world become enamored with Jack, a 5-year-old Norwegian forest cat. As of Monday morning, the Facebook page "Jack the Cat Is Lost in AA Baggage at J.F.K" has more than 24,400 "likes."
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In a statement, American Airlines offered its condolences for Karen Pascoe, Jack The Cat's owner and "the cat-loving community who have grown found of Jack since he went missing."
According to a social media message from Blue Pearl Veterinary Partners, Jack The Cat's earlier condition gave him a 50-50 chance of survival. His condition was said to be improving and upgraded from critical to stable.
Jack was transferred to the Blue Pearl Hospital in Manhattan from the veterinary hospital in Forest Hills in Queens borough on Thursday because there would be more specialists working there over the weekend, according to hospital spokeswoman Joanne Lynch.
Lynch told The New York Times, "It was all complications from the extreme malnourishment. His skin was extremely fragile, and we'd already done one surgery on it. To do the second surgery, the chance of survival was minimal, and it wasn’t worth all the suffering for such a slim or no chance of survival."
The Facebook page confirmed, "The vet was very clear that she had conferred with every possible doctor regarding options for Jack, but none of them left him with a substantial chance of survival."
Pascoe told the New York Post, "It's been a heartbreaking experience that I hope no one ever has to go through. I will miss Jack everyday as he was a very special kitty."
The Facebook page says, "We thank everyone who has gone on this journey with us. We have been introduced to people we have come to not only respect, but also love. We will continue our work on this page… and will also be starting a dedicated website in Jack’s honor."
Here is a video tribute to Jack The Cat that was published on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DG3E4jZstI4.
