Beloved neighborhood 'Cheeto' cat goes missing, causing social media stir

CLOVIS, Calif. (KFSN) -- Many families deal with the heartbreak of missing pets, but Cheeto's story is a little different.

The beloved cat has many owners, or more accurately, Cheeto is the owner of many humans.

He's a bit of a local celebrity in his Clovis neighborhood, even though he only sports a tux for special occasions.

"He'll be waiting outside the Shop N Go," said customer Tyler. "I've seen him hanging out in the bar for long periods of time."

Cheeto has been missing for almost a week, absent from his normal routine.

During the day Cheeto makes his rounds to all his favorite shops at the corner of Fowler and Nees demanding love from all his favorite people.

"I think at first they were a little worried he was a little bit of a nuisance coming in, but over time everybody could see how much the customers loved him," said Chris Flores, Cheeto's Owner.

His first stop each morning is the Shop N Go, where he acts as Cari Commin's shadow and sometimes roadblock.

"Not a day goes by he wasn't here 5 o'clock in the morning," said Commins. "He was very nosy. He laid on my paperwork. He liked to lay on my paperwork when I was doing it and I was like okay Cheeto get off, I'd push him off and he'd come right back."

Next on the agenda is a stop at Corky's Cuts 4 Kids, where he visits all the tiny customers and finds perches throughout the shop.

"The kids love him, he's very friendly, he let's them pet him and everything," said Maria Gamez, Corky's Cuts 4 Kids employee.

"Time and time you'll find him on the counter or something, taking a nap."

Cheeto has roamed the shops longer than many of the employees.

He was a Covid adoption, a choice many of us made in 2020 that brought a lot of joy during lockdowns and social distancing and the years following.

"I wasn't the biggest cat person either, but he's grown on me," said Flores. "My daughter's always loved cats and he's been like my buddy and almost like a brother to my dog."

Flores said his friendly feline has been taken twice before, both times he was able to trace Cheeto's AirTags to homes and get his pet back.

This time, the AirTag and collar were found on Armstrong and Nees with no sign of Cheeto. Flores believes someone took him intentionally.

Now, he and Cheeto's other humans are asking for his safe return.

"He had a really great life here that he's been taken away from," said Flores.

"He needs to come home," said Commins. "Just let him come home."

"I just hope if someone did take him that maybe it's just a misunderstanding and they just bring him back because we all miss him," said Gamez.

There's a $800 reward for Cheeto's safe return.

If you have him or see him you're asked to bring him back to the Shop N Go parking lot on Fowler and Nees.

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