Etihad said it is working with ground handlers and 'specialists' to find Felix

She is calling for better policies and procedures for the transport of pets

Owner Jennifer Stewart said the crate was badly damaged in transit

Felix the cat disappeared after he escaped his plastic crate at JFK Airport

A devastated couple has launched a desperate search for their beloved pet cat after he disappeared following a 14-hour flight from Abu Dhabi to New York.

Felix the cat has been missing for almost a week after he escaped from his crate at John F Kennedy International Airport.

The two-year-old grey tabby belongs to Jennifer Stewart, 31, and her 34-year-old husband, Joseph Naaman, who said the airline-approved pet carrier was damaged so badly – apparently while being transferred from the plane – that Felix was able to get out and run away.

Jennifer Stewart and husband, Joseph Naaman, pictured with their cat, Felix, who disappeared April 1

Jennifer told MailOnline Travel that she isn't satisfied with the way Felix's crate was secured and transported on the Etihad Airways flight.

She said his crate was tied down to a large metal pallet and cracked open, apparently when one of the straps got caught on something as it was being moved to a cargo bay after the April 1 flight.

She said: 'To find out how he was transported, I was horrified, I was sick. They basically strapped him in like he was an old box.

'If I had known he was going to travel like that we would have looked for other alternatives.

'He is a part of our family. He's like a dog. He plays fetch and hide and seek, and he's the coolest little cat.'

The couple was told that the plastic crate broke open after one of the ropes became tangled on something

Felix's plastic pet carrier was tied down to a metal pallet while he was transported on the plane

Jennifer said she isn't sure which company was responsible for transferring Felix from the plane, but a cargo manager called her and her husband into an office after they landed to deliver the bad news.

'We were in shock that this happened. At first I thought he was going to tell me that [Felix] died.

'He told me his cage was crushed.'

While in Abu Dhabi she spent weeks researching the best way to transport Felix and she initially booked a ticket with a different airline, but there was a problem with the reservation and she was forced to switch to their flight and Felix's to Etihad Airways.

Felix the cat disappeared after his crate was damaged after a flight from Abu Dhabi to New York

Owner Jennifer Stewart said she spent weeks researching the best way to transport Felix to the US

Jennifer, a yoga instructor, and Joseph, a strategy consultant, couple spent $1,200 (£800) to bring Felix to the US with them after living in the United Arab Emirates for three years.

They adopted him seven months ago after they found him wandering on the street in their Abu Dhabi neighbourhood, and they never gave any thought to leaving him behind.

The couple hasn't given up hope that Felix will be found, and has sought help from a non-profit organisation, Where Is Jack?, which provided a dog that is trained to track down animals based on their scent.

Jennifer and Joseph haven't given up hope and plan to return to the airport to search for Felix

The couple adopted the two-year-old cat seven months ago after he was abandoned in their neighbourhood

They searched the airport on Saturday, but were unable to access secure areas, and plan to return tomorrow morning to look for Felix again.

An Etihad Airways spokesperson told MailOnline Travel that it is investigating Felix’s disappearance and continues to search for the cat.

The spokesperson said: ‘We are working with the ground handlers and other third-party specialists, paid for by Etihad Airways, to locate the cat.

‘We deeply regret this unfortunate incident and are keeping the owner apprised of the progress of the search.

Jennifer and Joseph have enlisted the help of a non-profit organisation to locate the cat at JFK Airport

Etihad Airways said it is working with ground handlers and 'third-party specialists' to find the cat

‘We will review our pet handling procedures in the wake of this incident, as the safety and care of pets travelling with Etihad Airways is a top priority.’

Etihad cargo carries more than 200 animals each year and it is ‘extremely rare’ for one to escape, the spokesperson added.