Brooklyn Cat Found in JFK Airport Luggage Rewarded with Thanksgiving Feast

The cat was found on the X-ray machine at JFK Airport.

A cat named Smells surprised TSA officials at JFK Airport ahead of the Thanksgiving holiday when he was found zipped up inside a checked suitcase. Now, the stowaway feline has been returned to his Brooklyn home, where he was rewarded with a belated Thanksgiving feast.

Smells was first discovered by JFK security on November 16 by an X-ray machine. The traveler told TSA officials that Smells belonged to someone he lived with, and he had no idea the cat had snuck into his bag before his flight to Orlando.

After being returned home, the cat was eventually treated to a full Thanksgiving meal. "Smells, the cat who TSA recently rescued from a checked bag at JFK Airport after he snuck into a suitcase in an attempt to fly to Orlando, enjoyed Thanksgiving at home in Brooklyn," wrote TSA Spokesperson Lisa Farbstein on Twitter. "Apparently Smells was planning to chase after a big mouse he heard was running around Disneyworld."

Farbstein shared a photo of Smells enjoying a full turkey feast back home in Brooklyn, although we have to imagine he was sad to miss out on the Florida weather.

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Chris Mench is an editor focusing on NYC News at Thrillist. You can follow him on Twitter for more of his work.