Ten‑month search: Man spends $22k to find missing cat
Rafael Klajnszmit from the German city of Eschwege has been searching for his missing cat for 10 months. He has traveled over 12,400 miles and spent $22,500 on an intensive search. The man still believes that his pet will return home one day. This touching story of an owner who dearly misses his beloved pet was shared by German media.
On July 13, 2024, Rafael Klajnszmit embarked on a trip from Eschwege in Hesse to southern Bavaria. "My wife was in rehab there, and I wanted to visit her and spend the holiday with her," he reported to inFranken.de. To "make his wife happy," he brought along their two cats, Nero and Tommy.
Klajnszmit stopped in Erlangen, planning to spend the night at a hotel. Upon arrival, he took the transport crates from the car in which the cats traveled. Unfortunately, one of the crates was not properly secured—Nero jumped out and ran away.
At that moment, Rafael Klajnszmit last saw his beloved cat. Although 10 months have passed, he still hopes his pet will come home.
Spent $22,500 to find the cat
Every Friday after work, the man drives from Eschwege to Erlangen, covering nearly 186 miles one way. He dedicates the entire weekend to searching for Nero.
"Nero is still alive. He has a microchip implanted, and so far, I haven't received any messages from the police or road maintenance department that he isn't alive. Either he is traveling around Erlangen or returning home," Rafael Klajnszmit explained in an interview with "Bild".
Klajnszmit has traveled over 12,400 miles and spent $21,000 on fuel, hotels, food, and cat food. During his visits to Erlangen, he helps by replenishing food supplies at animal stations. Cameras have been installed there, and he hopes they will capture Nero one day.
"We printed 10,000 flyers and hung them everywhere. But the public order office banned it three weeks ago after residents' complaints. Now we distribute the flyers," Klajnszmit emphasized to "Bild".
He is also active on social media. The Facebook account "Nero - the boy missing in Erlangen" has over 3,000 followers, with some actively participating in the search.
"We miss him immensely," reads one of many touching posts. Nero is "more than a cat," he is "part of the family," the owners emphasize.
"Giving up is not an option for us; we don't even think about it," Klajnszmit assured in an interview with German media.
