Pet snafu lands Long Island hotel in lawsuit

The case demonstrates the dangers of operating a “pet friendly” property

Cotton the cat and the Marriott Residence Inn on Long Island
Cotton the cat and the Marriott Residence Inn on Long Island

In recent years, many residential buildings and hotels across New York City have gone “pet friendly.” But pampering a guest or resident’s furry friend can also be a huge liability. Take the Marriott Residence Inn in Islip, Long Island, which has landed in a lawsuit after misplacing a kitty.

The owners of a cat named Cotton are suing the Long Island hotel after the hotel manager lost their beloved pet in her boyfriend’s wall, according to the New York Post.

Jeffrey Johnson and his wife, Shoshanah, stayed at the hotel before catching a flight to Israel. But Cotton disappeared. They had to leave without their cat, striking a deal with hotel staff to have them ship the cat to Tel Aviv, according to the suit.

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Staff found Cotton and the hotel manager brought the cat over to her boyfriend’s place, before it promptly went missing again.

“It has been traumatic. She’s a really special cat,” Johnson told the Post.

The couple wants unspecified damages. [NYP] Christopher Cameron