'How did it end up from Geylang to MCE?' Family finds missing pet cat with help of AirTag

This family feared the worst after their pet cat had gone missing.

But Tofu was found more than 20km away from home in just a day – with the help of technology.

Taking to TikTok on Wednesday (Jan 18), a pet owner with the username Osrastays shared that they had attached an Apple AirTag to their pet cat's collar.

Measuring the size of a 50-cent coin, an AirTag can be used to track missing items with a mobile app.

[embed]https://www.tiktok.com/@osrastays/video/7189704048294022402?is_from_webapp=1&sender_device=pc&web_id=7161994054723814913[/embed]

Enlisting the help of friends, Osrastays shared that the family went on a hunt for Tofu after it went missing in the morning. 

When the fob detected Tofu's location somewhere at the Marina Coastal Expressway (MCE), the family feared the worst.

"At this moment, we knew someone could have thrown the AirTag collar and taken Tofu away," they said.

The two-minute video showed that Tofu was at a carpark in Marina South Pier at 11.30am, and back at the MCE an hour later. 

After searching for the pet cat "high and low" along the MCE till noon, Osrastays shared that they finally had a breakthrough on the very day of their search. 

"We were above this highway and our AirTag detected that Tofu was at the bushes," Osrastays said, adding that a friend later suspected that the cat might be stuck inside. 

The family was seen stopping their car the side of the expressway to find Tofu. "It was very dangerous... and we all didn't give up," Osrastays shared.

"The AirTag beeped like crazy, and guess who we found?" the TikTok user said, adding that the frightened cat was found hiding under a thick layer of bushes along the middle of the expressway. 

While the cat was safe and sound, Osrastays said that there was a question left unanswered.

"How did Tofu end up from Geylang to MCE? It must have hitchhiked in a vehicle to hide," the family said.

Not that it mattered, with Tofu back embracing the comfort of home.

"He never gave up on us, so did we. We love you Tofu," Osrastays said, while thanking Apple for "creating" AirTags.

In the comments, several netizens expressed their relief for the family.

"I'm so happy for you. Imagine if there is no AirTag? You will never find him again," a netizen said, while others urged the family to keep Tofu safe at home.

AsiaOne has contacted Osrastays for comment. 

In July 2021, a TikTok user shared how four of her pet cats also got their own AirTag fobs attached to their collars.

A 45-second video showed the felines' puzzled reactions of having a new item affixed to their collars.

[embed]https://www.tiktok.com/@sarahschmitzy/video/6990615983136181505?is_from_webapp=1&sender_device=pc&web_id=7161994054723814913[/embed]

While netizens were concerned that the AirTags would be too heavy for these cats, TikTok user Sarahschmitzy shared that they were "very lightweight as compared to some steel and gold plated name tags".

chingshijie@asiaone.com

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