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Cat goes through X-ray machine at Norfolk International Airport

A cat was left in its carrying case and went through an X-ray machine at Norfolk International Airport, according to a TSA spokesperson.

NORFOLK, Va. — A cat was left in its carrying case and went through an X-ray machine at Norfolk International Airport.

Lisa Farbstein, a spokesperson with Transportation Security Administration (TSA), tweeted about the incident, calling it a "Cat-astrophic mistake" on Friday. 

Farbstein followed up to say the cat is fine, but that the owner had to go through the checkpoint again "the proper way."

"The proper way being to remove the cat from the travel bag," Farbstein wrote. 

TSA offers several tips to follow for pets to be screened prior to boarding a flight:

  • All pets should be brought to a security checkpoint in a hand-held travel carrier
  • Remove the pet from the carrier just prior to the beginning of the screening 
  • Place the empty travel carrier on the checkpoint conveyor belt so it can be X-rayed
  • Never place a pet in the X-ray tunnel
  • If possible, carry the pet through the walk-through metal detector during the screening process. Alternatively, a pet can walk through the screening process if the owner has the pet on a leash
  • A TSA officer will give the pet owner’s hands an explosive trace detection swab to ensure there is no explosive residue on the owner’s hands
  • After the screening process is complete, owners should return their pet to the travel carrier at the re-composure area away from the security checkpoint. 

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