Cat Reunited with Owner After Lyft Driver Drives Off with Feline Still Inside

Palash Pandey's pet cat Tux was found about a mile away from where his Lyft driver dropped him off in Austin, Texas

A cat was reunited with its owner after a Lyft driver drove off with the feline still in the car.

Palash Pandey was reunited with his cat, Tux, in the early hours of Monday morning after the two were separated following a trip on Saturday in Austin, Texas.

Pandey told local media outlet KXAN that he booked the trip on Saturday to take Tux to a Banfield Pet Hospital location for medical care. When they arrived, Pandey said he went to the other side of the vehicle to retrieve Tux’s carrier, but the driver started driving away.

“I like, ran behind him, screaming like, ‘Wait, wait, wait.’ I banged on his windows hoping that he would notice me and just stop. But instead of that he just like, peeled off, he drove away,” he said. “I don’t know how else you would perceive somebody who you just dropped off running behind you and banging on your windows and doors. I don’t know if there’s a charitable explanation for that.”

Per the outlet, the pet owner said he tried to contact the driver through the Lyft app, but he did not receive a response before using up the app’s message and phone call limit.

Pandey later took to X to message the company directly about his desperate search for Tux and shared some photos of his furry friend.

“@AskLyft My Lyft driver drove off with my pet cat still in the car,” he wrote. “I was taking my cat to a vet appointment, I was sitting behind the driver and had the cat carrier on the floor of the passenger side back seat."

He followed up with several more posts, adding: "I got off from the driver side door and started walking to the passenger side door to pick her up. Before I could open the door, the driver started driving. I banged on the back and passenger windows and screamed running behind him but he drove off.”

"I tried contacting the driver through Lyft. They were not helpful at all. You can only send three messages and call the driver there times. The driver didn't respond for about 2 hours and then said that he didn't have her.”

"I called 911 but they transferred me over to 311 and filed a report. I have not heard back from anyone yet. I don't know what else to do.”

"The driver has stopped responding again and I don't have any way to contact him besides the app. I have offered him money for bringing her back but he just doesn't respond. Is there anyone who can help?! What else can I do?!"

In a statement to KXAN on Sunday night, a Lyft spokesperson said they were in touch with Pandey “within minutes of his initial outreach.”

“In addition to communicating with Palesh, we have been directly in touch with the driver and other passengers that rode with him following the ride with Palesh,” the statement read. “We realize we could have done better in communicating regular updates to Palesh and the community. We all want the same outcome – for Tux to get home safely – and will keep the community posted.”

Pandey’s social media posts garnered thousands of likes and comments and Lyft’s CEO David Risher also helped with the search on X.

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Pandey later told KXAN that investigators hired by Lyft found Tux around a mile away from where he was dropped off.

After being reunited with Tux, Pandey shared an update on the feline on X. “She looks very tired, is covered in fleas and dehydrated,” he wrote. “She started eating wet food again which is a good sign but I'll monitor her and take her to the vet as soon as she calms down and stabilizes a bit. I would update again once I hear from the vet.”

Lyft also shared in a post shared on X, “We’re so happy Tux is found! We’re focused on making sure she has everything she needs, including covering vet bills and working with Palash to provide additional support. We must do better in how we support our community. And we will.”

Meanwhile Risher shared Lyft's tweet that Tux had been found and wrote, “Very good news. Thanks to all who pitched in.”

In separate tweets ahead of Tux being found, Risher also admitted that the company’s initial response to the situation was “awful.”

“We’ve been working on this for 24 hours,” he wrote. “Our first response was awful, but we’ve now alerted every driver and rider in the area, and we’re not done. We’ve also spoken to the rider and driver multiple times. It’s heartbreaking for us too — please don’t think we’re taking this lightly.”

He added in another tweet, “One request: please don’t vilify the driver. He’s received unwarranted threats and is just as distraught as we all are.”

Risher also went on to share that the driver has been “deactivated” for the time being. “We’ve deactivated him for now. But on speaking with him it’s clear things are somewhat more complicated than they first appear. In the meanwhile, our focus is on finding Tux,” he shared late Sunday.

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