A San Diego cat owner is mourning her beloved pet, fearing it was eaten by coyotes after a careless pet sitter allegedly left her front door open. Anna Coombs is heartbroken by the loss of her 12-year-old black-and-white tuxedo cat, Blair.
Pet Sitter's Negligence
Coombs hired a pet sitter to watch her indoor cat while she and her husband were out of town. However, within five minutes of the sitter's arrival, the cat wandered outside after the sitter left the door open while bringing in her belongings. The sitter assumed Blair was an outdoor cat and left the door open all night.
"She left the door open while she was bringing her stuff in. She saw our cat go outside," Coombs said. "Blair's never gone outside and willingly come back in. And then [the sitter] just assumed that Blair was an outdoor cat, so she just left the door open all night. I'm so mad at this person."
Desperate Search
The following days were filled with anxiety as Coombs prayed for Blair's return. The sitter, who had negotiated a higher price due to her experience, texted a day later saying she felt at peace and believed the cat would return. Coombs expressed her frustration in a TikTok video, stating the sitter never asked if the behavior was normal.
A specialized animal recovery team was enlisted, using a thermal drone and scent-tracking dogs. A hound found what they believed to be Blair's remains, and the drone detected two coyotes running through nearby trails.
"They were an incredible team, and they were so nice, and they handled everything with so much care. But I didn't want to accept it," Coombs said. "They said there's always the possibility of the probability being wrong, so there's always a hope. But I think we know in our heart that she's gone."
A Life of Milestones
Coombs had Blair for the cat's entire life, moving together to various cities, including college, Austin, New York, and San Diego. "She was literally in the passenger seat of my car when my husband and I kissed for the first time right outside of it," Coombs recalled. "She's literally been in my life for every major milestone. My kids were supposed to meet her. I know it's just a cat, but Blair was truly my family."
She added, "I don't want to say anything more about the sitter. But Blair was truly such a special cat, and she was my soul cat. And I'm just so, so sad that this was her ending. I just hope that she knows how much I loved her and how much she truly brought to our lives."
Warning to Pet Owners
Coombs is now urging other pet owners to be overly cautious. "They know them very well, and I'm just warning anyone in our area, please, please keep your pets safe," she said. "Please, please find pet sitters that you fully, fully trust. And over, over, over communicate to them what needs to be said."
