information from Alaska Airlines

They say cats have nine lives. Thanks to Alaska Airlines employee Robin Yong, a cat from West Seattle has all nine intact.

Yong heard the tale of Itty Bitty Kitty, a lost cat from West Seattle, via Facebook. Kitty, an older, orange and white tabby, ran away from home as his owners prepared to move from Seattle to Ohio. He missed the trip, slipping away as the car was being loaded. When his owner, Beth Lewis, realized that Itty Bitty was missing, the road trip was postponed as she searched high and low for her beloved pet.

But it was during the Fourth of July weekend, and the noise of fireworks likely kept him away. After a two-week delay, and no Kitty, the family made the painful decision to make the trip without him.

Several weeks later, a neighbor found the cat and called Kitty Harbor, a West Seattle shelter and adoption facility for homeless cats and kittens. Itty Bitty Kitty arrived, looking like a mere shadow of his former self. Before, a plump 14 pounds, he had shrunk to only five pounds, had a gash in his throat, missing teeth and was full of fleas. Kitty Harbor provided medical care and a safe respite, nursing Kitty back to health.

Yet, while Lewis was thrilled that their beloved cat was found, she couldn’t drive or fly back to Seattle to get him. And Kitty couldn’t fly as cargo, due to his health.

That’s when Yong, a Seattle-based employee, jumped in.

Being a cat-lover herself, Yong offered to transport the cat. In an outpouring of feline love, others from the area offered their support as well. Via Facebook, someone said their husband was going to Indianapolis and could take the cat. Another offered to get him half-way, to Oklahoma. In all, there were 10 offers of travel for Kitty, but Yong was able to do it that weekend. So she contacted Kitty Harbor Aug. 1, and arranged the trip.

Read more on Alaska Airline's new blog here: http://blog.alaskaair.com/2014/08/14/lost-cat/