• Home
  • Latest
  • Fortune 500
  • Finance
  • Tech
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia
LifestyleTransportation

After a 19-day search, Rowdy the cat has been rescued from Boston’s Logan Airport amid airline luggage crisis

By
Alena Botros
Alena Botros
Former staff writer
Down Arrow Button Icon
By
Alena Botros
Alena Botros
Former staff writer
Down Arrow Button Icon
July 14, 2022, 12:54 PM ET
Rowdy the Cat, after being captured yesterday at Logan Airport in Boston.
Rowdy the Cat, after being captured yesterday at Logan Airport in Boston.Courtesy of Massport via AP

A cat named Rowdy was playing hooky for almost three weeks in a Boston airport. 

But don’t worry: The 4-year-old feline has been found, and will be reunited with her human parents on Saturday, NBC Boston reported.

Rowdy escaped from a pet carrier at Boston’s Logan International Airport on June 24 after traveling all the way from Germany with one of her owners, who were relocating to the U.S.

The cat’s owner, Patty Sahli, was scheduled to pick up her husband, Rich, and Rowdy from the airport when she was notified of the cat’s disappearance. After almost three weeks without Rowdy, Sahli said she’s happy about the good news. 

“It’s just a big relief,” Sahli told NBC Boston. “It’s kind of unbelievable.”

Rowdy Update: She has been handed off to @ARLBostonRescue as she awaits being re-united with her family. pic.twitter.com/fnB3342a2R

— Boston Logan International Airport (@BostonLogan) July 13, 2022

Rowdy somehow got out of her cage after spotting some birds while being unloaded from her Lufthansa flight, according to the Associated Press. Over the next 19 days, she hid from airport personnel, airline employees, and animal experts—Lufthansa even went as far as hiring an animal tracker to catch her, according to the AP. 

Rowdy was finally caught on Wednesday, after airport personnel set up cameras and safe-release traps. The Animal Rescue League, which had loaned the traps, has taken in the cat for now, and says she is healthy.

“Whether out of fatigue or hunger we’ll never know, but this morning she finally let herself be caught,” a spokesperson for Massport, the port authority that operates Boston Logan International, told the AP.

Lufthansa, Boston Logan International Airport, and Massport did not immediately answer Fortune’s request for comment. 

Rowdy’s airport escapade comes as the entire airline industry struggles with a pilot shortage, thousands of canceled flights, and a lost baggage crisis. Airlines are offering huge pay increases to pilots in an effort to shore up their labor pool, and airlines have been offering passengers up to $10,000 to get off overbooked flights. 

Delta Airlines recently sent an entire plane just to pick up 1,000 bags that were stranded at Heathrow Airport. The scheduled flight was canceled and passengers were redirected to other flights.

A LOT of baggage piled up at Heathrow! Glad my bag was not among this mountain. pic.twitter.com/5IqOBH8UL4

— Lebby Eyres (@LebbyE) June 18, 2022

A former employee of Qantas recently accused the airline of leaving passengers’ bags for weeks after the company laid off thousands of workers during the pandemic, Australia’s 9 News reported. And a woman traveling from Cleveland to Vienna put a tracking device in her luggage. When her bag failed to appear, she discovered it had been delivered to Paris, the New York Times reported. 

Sign up for the Fortune Features email list so you don’t miss our biggest features, exclusive interviews, and investigations.

About the Author
By Alena BotrosFormer staff writer
LinkedIn iconTwitter icon

Alena Botros is a former reporter at Fortune, where she primarily covered real estate.

See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon

Latest in Lifestyle

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025

Most Popular

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • Future 50
  • World’s Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
Sections
  • Finance
  • Leadership
  • Success
  • Tech
  • Asia
  • Europe
  • Environment
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Health
  • Retail
  • Lifestyle
  • Politics
  • Newsletters
  • Magazine
  • Features
  • Commentary
  • Mpw
  • CEO Initiative
  • Conferences
  • Personal Finance
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
About Us
  • About Us
  • Editorial Calendar
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Diversity And Inclusion
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • Facebook icon
  • Twitter icon
  • LinkedIn icon
  • Instagram icon
  • Pinterest icon

Most Popular

placeholder alt text
Economy
Elon Musk warns the U.S. is '1,000% going to go bankrupt' unless AI and robotics save the economy from crushing debt
By Jason MaFebruary 7, 2026
2 days ago
placeholder alt text
Success
Gen Z Patriots quarterback Drake Maye still drives a 2015 pickup truck even after it broke down on the highway—despite his $37 million contract
By Sasha RogelbergFebruary 7, 2026
2 days ago
placeholder alt text
Economy
Russian officials are warning Putin that a financial crisis could arrive this summer, report says, while his war on Ukraine becomes too big to fail
By Jason MaFebruary 8, 2026
11 hours ago
placeholder alt text
Commentary
America marks its 250th birthday with a fading dream—the first time that younger generations will make less than their parents
By Mark Robert Rank and The ConversationFebruary 8, 2026
20 hours ago
placeholder alt text
Success
Even with $850 billion to his name, Elon Musk admits ‘money can’t buy happiness.’ But billionaire Mark Cuban says it’s not so simple
By Preston ForeFebruary 6, 2026
3 days ago
placeholder alt text
Future of Work
Anthropic cofounder says studying the humanities will be 'more important than ever' and reveals what the AI company looks for when hiring
By Jason MaFebruary 7, 2026
2 days ago

© 2026 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.


Latest in Lifestyle

AsiaAircraft
Singapore’s ST Engineering debuts the AirFish: A ‘ground effect’ craft that flies a few meters above the sea at up to 116 miles per hour
By Angelica AngFebruary 9, 2026
12 minutes ago
Arts & EntertainmentAdvertising
Super Bowl ads go for silliness, tears and nostalgia as Americans reel from ‘collective trauma’ of recent upheaval — ‘Everybody is stressed out’
By Dee-Ann Durbin, Mae Anderson, Wyatte Grantham-Philips and The Associated PressFebruary 8, 2026
9 hours ago
bad bunny
Arts & EntertainmentMusic
How Bad Bunny went from Super Bowl supporting act to headliner with ticket sales to rival Taylor Swift
By Jake AngeloFebruary 8, 2026
14 hours ago
FinanceSuper Bowl
All the things you wanted to know about Super Bowl rings but were afraid to ask
By Chris Morris and Fortune EditorsFebruary 8, 2026
16 hours ago
Successwork-life balance
NBA star Metta World Peace says Kobe Bryant taught him that no matter how hard you work, someone else is working harder
By Orianna Rosa RoyleFebruary 8, 2026
22 hours ago
Arts & EntertainmentSuper Bowl
How much will the winners (and losers) of Super Bowl LX get paid?
By Sydney LakeFebruary 8, 2026
23 hours ago