A missing house cat from the Fire Island Pines has been reunited with his owner overseas after more than a year and a half.
Kevin, a black cat who went missing in June 2024, was found in January during a routine trapping effort conducted by Boardwalk Pet Rescue, a 501(c)(3) animal rescue organization based in Fire Island Pines. The discovery came as part of the group’s broader work to control the local cat population through a trap-neuter-release program.
Boardwalk Pet Rescue was founded by Peter Pozo during the COVID-19 pandemic in response to a surge in the cat population in Fire Island Pines. After Pozo experienced health issues, the 501(c)(3) was taken over by Rick Weber and his husband, Peter Schwartz, who now run the organization alongside their son, Sean Weber, a veterinary technician.
In 2024, the group undertook a large-scale Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR) initiative, bringing a mobile veterinary clinic to the island by freight boat. During that effort, 25 cats were trapped and treated. Prior to that, more than 30 kittens had been captured, spayed or neutered, and placed in homes. According to Weber, these efforts have brought the cat population in the Pines largely under control, reducing the number of new litters and limiting the impact on the local ecosystem.
“You’re never going to get them all,” Weber said. “But now we’re able to trap when we see a problem, and we’re able to contain it. We can pay for the animals’ spaying and neutering. Sometimes, we can assist a new pet owner if they’re willing to take a kitten, but they’re not sure of the expense, so the kitten gets a good home.”
Kevin’s story began when he escaped from his owner’s home in June 2024 after a door was left open. His owner, Khaled, who had found Kevin as an abandoned kitten in upstate New York, searched extensively for him throughout that summer. Posters were put up across the Pines, and the reward was increased from $200 to $500. Despite continued efforts into the fall, Kevin was not located.
“Despite being aggressively clear that doors have to be closed, things happen in the Pines, and people get distracted,” Khaled said. “It happened on my birthday, and it was devastating. My family was shattered.”
He continued searching daily during the season and returned the following summer to resume the effort, but without success. Eventually, he relocated to Milan, Italy, for a new job, still without answers about Kevin’s fate.
For about 18 months, Kevin survived outdoors on Fire Island. During this time, he was likely supported in part by residents who feed feral cats, including a year-round resident on the east end of the Pines who reported seeing more unfamiliar cats in late 2025. That report led Weber and volunteers to set traps in the area in January.
Four cats were captured and taken off the island to a spay-and-neuter clinic. During intake, staff found that one of the cats had already been neutered and was microchipped.
“The vet called me and said, ‘I have a black cat with a white patch.’ I’m like, that’s got to be Kevin,” Weber said.
When the microchip information was checked, it confirmed the suspicion—the cat they had just trapped was Kevin.
Reaching the owner was challenging because two of the phone numbers linked to the microchip were no longer active. A third contact, a relative in Toronto, was reached and helped reconnect Kevin with Khaled in Italy. Once identified, Kevin was brought back to the Pines and placed in foster care with Weber.
Weber reported that Kevin quickly displayed behavior consistent with that of an indoor cat, seeking attention and adapting easily to indoor life.
“Kevin figured out how to open the bedroom door,” Weber said. “We’re sitting down here watching TV… and we turn around. There’s Kevin sitting right in front of us, like, ‘Hi, I’m here.’”
A veterinary check confirmed he was in good health, with no parasites or disease.
Plans to reunite Kevin with his owner were complicated by winter conditions. Shortly after his recovery, severe weather caused the bay to freeze, preventing transportation off the island. Kevin remained in foster care for approximately six weeks until conditions improved.
Khaled initially considered traveling to New York himself, but ultimately arranged for professional transport through Pet Transport Pro. The process required coordinating veterinary documentation, vaccinations, and international travel logistics, including compliance with customs regulations.
Kevin left Fire Island on March 1. He traveled from LaGuardia Airport to Frankfurt, Germany, where he stayed overnight before continuing to Milan. He arrived on March 6 and was delivered to Khaled’s home.
“I cried,” Khaled said. “It took him a few minutes to realize who I was. But when it clicked, he wouldn’t stop purring and has been glued to my side ever since. He was also terribly missed by his dog brother and sister, particularly his sister Lipstick, who is just one month younger than him. They grew up together and are very bonded.”
Since returning, Kevin has quickly adjusted to indoor life in Milan and has resumed his previous behavior, showing no interest in going outside.
Weber said the case reflects the strength of the Pines community, where residents, volunteers, and local businesses contributed to both the broader rescue effort and Kevin’s return. The same network that supports ongoing TNR work also helped ensure Kevin was cared for and ultimately reunited with his owner.
