The Cat in the Bag

A kitten went on an adventure thousands of miles across America after being carried away in its owner's suitcase.

The pet, named Gracie Mae, belonged to Kelly and Seth Levy from Palm Beach Gardens, Florida. Gracie Mae got a little more than she bargained for after the suitcase she was sleeping in was zipped up and carried off by Mr Levy, who then embarked on a trip to Dallas, Texas.

The kitten was trapped in the bag as it went through the Fort Lauderdale baggage process, was scanned by X-ray machines, loaded onto the plane, flown four hours to Texas and unpacked.

To further complicate the situation, Mr Levy's bag was accidentally picked up by another man at the airport, giving the feline inside something of a shock when the suitcase was opened.

Rob Carter, the traveller who picked up the bag, said: "I went to unpack and saw some of the clothes and saw it wasn't my suitcase. I was going to close it and a kitten jumped out and ran under the bed. I screamed like a little girl."

Mr. Carter called the number on Gracie Mae's collar and was able to meet Mr Levy at Dallas Fort Worth airport so the stowaway could be sent home.

Tim Wagner, an American Airlines spokesman, said it was difficult to understand how airport workers failed to notice the presence of a cat in a bag.