Mittens the cat becomes accidental jetsetter after being forgotten on plane
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A cat has been clocking up the air miles after being left on a plane. Maine Coon cat Mittens became an accidental jetsetter when her cage was left in the cargo hold of a plane, leading her to make three trips between New Zealand and Australia in a 24 hour period alone.
The eight-year-old moggy had only meant to go from Christchurch to Melbourne with her family, who were moving homes on January 13. Owner Margo Neas waited at the Australian airport for Mittens to be unloaded for the plane, but no cat appeared. Three hours went by with no sight of the four-legged pal.
Ground staff told Margo that Mittens was in the wrong country after the plane made the return journey, which can take up to seven and a half hours. "I said, how can this happen? How can this happen? Oh my God," Margo recalled in disbelief. To ensure Mittens' well-being during the unexpected journey, the Air New Zealand pilot was notified mid-flight about the feline stowaway and promptly activated the cargo hold heating. The mishap occurred because a wheelchair obscured the baggage handler's view of the cat carrier.
Although distressed by temporarily losing their furry friend, not to mention Mittens shedding some pounds due to the ordeal, the Neas family eventually welcomed her back as the pet relocation company facilitated a final one-way trip to Melbourne. Now, the weight loss notwithstanding, Mittens is safe and sound, with Margo Neas relieved and stating, "It was not a great start to our new life in Melbourne because we didn’t have the family, we weren’t complete," yet thankful for the tale's purr-fect conclusion.
