Escaped cat causes ruckus at airport

The cat was let out of the bag at the Salt Lake City International Airport on Wednesday morning — literally. And that caused a few problems.

A Terminal 1 passenger who was taking his cat with him on a trip was asked to take the pet out of its cage so the container could be X-rayed without the feline going through the X-ray machine, said Ron Malin, federal security director for Transportation Safety Administration in Utah.

The cat, however, apparently got spooked as soon as it was out of the cage. It got away from the passenger and took off.

"It scratched his owner pretty good," Malin said.

TSA screeners attempted to catch the cat, but the animal bit three employees before taking off farther into the airport, he said.

All three screeners were treated by medical personnel. Paramedics were considering whether to send one to the hospital to get a stitch in his finger, Malin said. At least one employee also had to receive a tetanus shot.

Airport police were called. They eventually cornered and captured the feline.

Malin said passengers bringing animals onto planes as carry-on items aren't unusual. Having one get away and run loose in the airport, however, is unusual.

Animal control officers were also called to the airport to make sure the cat was up to date on its shots.