South Philadelphia couple heartbroken after beloved cat Artemis allegedly stolen
In a neighborhood where everyone knows your name, and your cat's, the sudden disappearance of Artemis, a beloved white and gray American shorthair cat, has left a South Philadelphia block shaken, and his owners desperate for answers.
"He's everything we have, really," said Andrew Mojica, who, along with his wife Dominique, has spent every waking moment since last weekend searching for their cat, Artemis — or "Artie," as he's lovingly known around the neighborhood.
The couple describes Artie as more than a pet.
"That's our cat, that's Artemis," Andrew Mojica said. "We've had him for about two years. He's so lovable — he loves everyone. He sees the best in everybody."
But that trusting nature may have put him in danger.
The alleged theft unfolded on Saturday around 8 p.m. on the 1500 block of South Hicks Street. The couple's Ring camera video shows two teenage boys — one riding a bicycle — petting Artemis, who was wearing both a collar and an AirTag. Minutes later, the boys were seen picking him up, shouting "We've got another one," and walking off.
By 8:24 p.m., the boys had entered a white Dodge Durango with black accents. A woman, loudly talking on her phone, was behind the wheel. The SUV, which had a Pennsylvania license plate, drove away.
That's when the Mojicas sprang into action. The AirTag on Artemis' collar began pinging — first near City Hall, then toward North Philly.
Andrew Mojica followed the signal on a Vespa, while Dominique Mojica combed Center City. At one point, Andrew Mojica tracked the AirTag to a McDonald's on Chelten Avenue, and then to a corner near West Lehigh Avenue.
There, he spotted the same white SUV outside a C-Town Supermarket.
"I followed the AirTag to West Lehigh and 25th," he said. "From there, the woman had noticed me and peeled out. Dumped the AirTag around 11 p.m. on the 1300 block of West Hunting Park Ave."
The next morning, they found Artemis' collar near a basement door — but no sign of Artemis.
"Since then, we recovered the collar. We still haven't found Artie," Andrew Mojica said, visibly emotional. "We just really want him to come home — and the rest of the block does too."
Artemis isn't just loved by his owners — he's a neighborhood icon.
"Everybody goes up to him when they have a bad day," Andrew Mojica said. "We've been told he's actually friends with all the cats. Even some of the strays he brings to our house, we end up fostering them."
Artie is microchipped, and the family has alerted shelters, including ACCT Philly and the SPCA. Flyers have gone up, and neighbors are chipping in to raise reward money.
"Even our neighbors have contributed to the reward because we all just really want him home," Andrew Mojica said.
The couple filed a police report and continue to search daily. They're offering a $1,000 reward for help bringing the cat home.
"We're going to continue to keep going up there, keep looking for him, keep calling for him," he said. "Because we know … he does come up to us when he hears our voice."
