A Transportation Security Administration (TSA) officer was stunned to find a cat inside a man’s suitcase at JFK Airport in the United States earlier this month.
A New York traveller had unknowingly closed his checked luggage with his cat inside, and the cat would have made it onto a flight to Florida if it was not for the X-ray machine at the airport.
TSA officers noticed the outline of a cat in an X-ray image during the screen of the passenger’s suitcase.
A photo posted by Lisa Farbstein, the spokesperson of TSA, showed the cat’s rust-coloured fur peeking from the zipper of the suitcase.
TSA agents then proceeded to contact Delta, the airline that the passenger was slated to fly on.
The passenger was bound for Orlando, Florida. Farbstein said that the passenger missed his flight but was able to book a trip for the following day.
“A TSA officer was shocked to find an orange cat inside a checked bag at JFK airport, after it went through the X-ray unit,” Farbstein wrote in a twitter post.
It was later revealed that the cat made it back home safely.
This was not the first time in recent years that a pet nearly found its way onto a flight unknowingly.
In October 2021, Kristi and Jared Owens were checking their baggage at Lubbock Preston Smith International Airport in Texas when the Southwest Airlines ticket agent informed them that the bag was overweight.
When the couple opened the bag to repack and avoid a fee, they were shocked to discover Icky, their 5-pound chihuahua, tucked into one of Jared’s cowboy boots.
Compiled by Mashudu Mabila
Pictured above: A cat inside of airport luggage
Image source: @USAToday
