Felix was discovered at JFK airport after being on the loose for more than two weeks.
The cat's owners, Jennifer Stewart, 31, and her 34-year-old husband, Joseph Naaman, were left devastated after their beloved pet when missing from his damaged crate.
The couple had launched a desperate search for their pet after he disappeared following a 14-hour flight from Abu Dhabi to New York.
Felix the cat was missing for more than two weeks after he escaped from his crate, which was damaged in transit.
The two-year-old grey tabby's crate was travelling in an airline-approved carrier but it was damaged so badly – apparently while being transferred from the plane – that Felix was able to get out and run away.
The couple updated their Facebook profiles to announce the good news.
They wrote: 'FELIX HAS BEEN FOUND!!! We got word earlier this evening that a cat had been humanely trapped in the area the scent dogs in last week's search were most interested in... And the cat is FELIX!!!!'
Jennifer later added: 'Joe picked him up at JFK and they are on their way home to Princeton right now. So HAPPY!!!! Thanks to everyone for your help and positive energy these last two weeks! We're incredibly grateful for such love & support! xo'
At the time of the disappearance, Jennifer had told MailOnline Travel that she wasn't satisfied with the way Felix's crate was secured and transported on the Etihad Airways flight.
She said his crate was tied down to a large metal pallet and cracked open, apparently when one of the straps got caught on something as it was being moved to a cargo bay after the April 1 flight.
She said: 'To find out how he was transported, I was horrified, I was sick. They basically strapped him in like he was an old box.
'If I had known he was going to travel like that we would have looked for other alternatives. He is a part of our family. He's like a dog. He plays fetch and hide and seek, and he's the coolest little cat.'
Jennifer wasn't sure which company was responsible for transferring Felix from the plane, but a cargo manager called her and her husband into an office after they landed to deliver the bad news.
'We were in shock that this happened. At first I thought he was going to tell me that [Felix] died. He told me his cage was crushed.'
While in Abu Dhabi she had spent weeks researching the best way to transport Felix and she initially booked a ticket with a different airline, but there was a problem with the reservation and she was forced to switch to their flight and Felix's to Etihad Airways.
Jennifer, a yoga instructor, and Joseph, a strategy consultant, couple spent $1,200 (£800) to bring Felix to the US with them after living in the United Arab Emirates for three years.
They adopted him seven months ago after they found him wandering on the street in their Abu Dhabi neighbourhood, and they never gave any thought to leaving him behind.
The couple never gave up hope that Felix would be found, and sought help from a non-profit organisation, Where Is Jack?, which provided a dog that is trained to track down animals based on their scent.
They had previously searched the airport, but were initially unable to access secure areas.
An Etihad Airways spokesperson told MailOnline Travel at the time of the disappearance that it was investigating Felix’s disappearance and continuing to search for the cat.
The spokesperson said: ‘We are working with the ground handlers and other third-party specialists, paid for by Etihad Airways, to locate the cat.
‘We deeply regret this unfortunate incident and are keeping the owner apprised of the progress of the search.
‘We will review our pet handling procedures in the wake of this incident, as the safety and care of pets travelling with Etihad Airways is a top priority.’
Etihad cargo carries more than 200 animals each year and it is ‘extremely rare’ for one to escape, the spokesperson added.
(Daily Mail - April 16, 2015)
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