TSA officer finds orange cat in checked bag at busy airport

NEW YORK (WSET/TND) — The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) said the "cat's out of the bag" following a recent discovery in a bag at a busy New York airport.

TSA spokesperson Lisa Farbstein said a TSA officer was shocked to find an orange cat inside a checked bag at John F. Kennedy International Airport in Queens, New York.

Farbstein said it was found after it went through the X-ray unit.

She said the traveler told them the cat belonged to someone else in his household.

"On the bright side, the cat’s out of the bag and safely back home," Farbstein said.

According to the TSA website, small pets are allowed to pass through security checkpoints but rules vary between airlines on how the furry felines can safely fly.

"Please remove your pet from the carrying case and place the case through the X-ray machine. You should maintain control of your pet with a leash and remember to remove the leash when carrying your pet through the metal detector," instructions on the site read. "Animal carriers will undergo a visual and/or physical inspection."