Have you seen Tazzie Lee? Queens woman on mission to find missing cat at JFK Airport

Wednesday, January 14, 2026
JAMAICA, Queens (WABC) -- The owner of a cat who vanished at John F. Kennedy Airport after escaping her carrier over the holidays isn't giving up hope.

Ellen Russell is offering a reward for anyone that helps bring Tazzie Lee home.

Russell said she was outside Terminal 4 on Dec. 20 to head back home to Flushing, Queens, after her flight to Florida was canceled.

Four-year-old Tazzie Lee had different plans.

"She has a baby carriage that is all zippered up and somehow the zipper came open and she jumped," Russell said.



Everyone at the airport is on high alert

"There was a police officer from Port Authority who walked through that whole building with me, we went floor by floor," Russell said.



She posted on social media and reached out to John Debacker with Long Island Cat/Kitten Solution.

With permission, he set up several cameras and put out food.



And there has been activity, including strays stopping by, but no Tazzie Lee.

"It's surrounded by water so the cat does have a good water sources and there are a lot of rats to eat, so it's possible the cat is feeding on the rats," Debacker said.

Russell is offering a $5,000 reward and pounding the pavement - going to warehouses, construction sites and posting flyers.

She said she is grateful for the support.

"It's unbelievable, the compassion people have, I just don't know what I'm going to do," Russell said.



Russell says the best thing to do if you spot Tazzie Lee is to call her or Debacker and keep an eye on the cat because if you try to catch her, she might take off again.

"I'm not going to give up, I know she's here," Russell said.

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