Cat escapes from cage near Winnipeg airport

A woman who just moved to Winnipeg from Thompson is desperately searching for her cat, which went missing Thursday just after its cage was unloaded from the airplane.

​Bronte, a seven-year-old black cat, has never been in a large city and is likely very frightened, said owner Melissa Wakeling.

“I think he's panicked. He is an indoor cat and he's used to a smaller community," she said.

"He's never seen downtown, much less a city.”

Wakeling drove from Thompson on Sunday arranged for her three cats to come to the city on a Calm Air flight. But when they arrived on Thursday evening, Bronte was missing.

She thinks his kennel door was accidentally left open by Calm Air staff when they were checking on the cats.

Calm Air told CBC it is investigating how the cat went missing and said the company is devastated about it.

It is working with the humane society and its various partners at the airport to try to find the feline. The Winnipeg Airports Authority is looking, too.

Wakeling said Bronte, who was wearing a red harness at the time, went missing somewhere between the plane and the Calm Air cargo building on Ferry Road.

She is hoping somebody will find him and contact her.

In the meantime, Wakeling said Calm Air has set up Bronte's food and water near the terminal in case he comes by.