How a Cat was Taken by an Airbnb Guest and then Returned to his Owner

We are living in a time in which everything is evolving at light speed. Technology and innovation rule the world. Not only are we carrying around little computers in our pocket, but the way that we travel and lodge has changed. Yes, there are still traditional lodging options like hotels and resorts, but more and more people are lodging in privately owned residential dwellings. Whether it is a mansion in Costa Rica or a two-bedroom flat in Texas, people are now paying to experience greater intimacy and privacy. One of the largest platforms that allow you to do this Airbnb (Air Bed and Breakfast). Through Airbnb, you can book apartments and homes for any length of time.

In many instances, these apartments and homes are still occupied. Many times the owner will share a room, and other times they will make their place available when they are traveling. There is a recent story in which an Airbnb guest decided to take a cat that belongs to the owner of the residence at which they were staying. Here is the killer part, the guest ultimately returned the cat. More on that in a bit. Let me get you caught up.

General Tzo is an eight-year-old cat that has a personality that makes him very popular with the guests that stay at this owners spot in San Antonio. General Tzo is so popular that he even shows up in Airbnb reviews. Well, it seems that his popularity caught up with him and his owner. Last month, one of the guests decided that they just could not part with Tzo.

Initially, the cat’s owner thought that General Tzo had gone out and gotten lost. He began to post missing posters in the hood and on social media. Several weeks into his search the owner decided to watch surveillance videos from his security cameras when he realized that one of his guests had taken the cat.

According to the owner, he really did not expect to discover what he saw on that video footage. After being bombarded with calls from the owner and even some of the owner’s friends, the guest called the owner to arrange the return of the cat. But wait, check out the explanation he gave for taking the cat. He said he mistook Tzo for a stray.

Despite the confusion in it all, the two men made arrangements to meet with both of them driving several hours to meet in Lubbock, TX. Woodard, the owner, said that it is obviously time for Tzo to get microchipped and collared.

Woodard said that he has been hosting guests in his apartment for several years through Airbnb and he has never experienced anything like this. It is probably in his best interest to keep an inventory of items and to check after guests leave. Where hotels have very little that can be taken by guests, personal residential space literally has the owners life inside.

Not only does Woodard have Tzo, but he also has two dogs that are on the property. He warns his guests that his pets are there and he has never had a complaint. As I mentioned earlier, General Tzo is extremely popular among guests. For a cat, he has a very friendly and outgoing personality.

It is worth noting that the guest who took Tzo has high rankings as a guest on the Airbnb review site. He is said to be courteous and quiet. During his stay at Woodard’s place, he didn’t cause any problems and he even left a few days early. As it turns out, it was entering the guest room that triggered the need to view the video footage. Normally, Woodard waits until the reservation has cleared before entering a guests room. Being that this guest left early, it was several days before Woodard entered the room. What he found when he entered were cat treats sprinkled over the floor, something he assumed was done to lure the cat into the room. This discovery prompted him to view the surveillance video, and this is when he discovered that the guest had taken the cat.

When the incident was reported to Airbnb, they admitted that they have seen their share of odd incidents, but to their knowledge, this was the first catnapping. Luckily, Tzo is home safe.

You can also read:

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• Why Do Most Cats Hate Water?
• Reader Suggests Killing Feral Cats to Deal with Overpopulation
• Tomb Full of Sacred Cats Found in Egypt