PHOTO: Cat Found in Checked Bag at Airport Enjoys Thanksgiving Meal

A Brooklyn cat that TSA screeners recently found curled up in a checked bag at JFK airport is at home again with his family.

The orange feline crawled into a suitcase while someone was preparing to leave for a recent trip to Orlando, ABC 7 reported Monday.

When the bag was put under the x-ray machine, a TSA agent spotted the creature lying amongst the traveler's belongings.

We're letting the cat out of the bag on a hiss-toric find. This CATch had our baggage screening officers @JFKairport saying, "Come on meow"! Feline like you have travel questions reach out to our furiends @AskTSA . They're available every day, from 8 a.m. – 6 p.m. (ET). pic.twitter.com/LpIkLbAgzC

— TSA (@TSA) November 22, 2022

Following the discovery, the individual said the animal belonged to someone who lived in the home but did not say how it got into the luggage.

Now, the cat is back where he belongs and is safe and sound.

"Smells, the cat who @TSA recently rescued from a checked bag at @JFKairport after he snuck into a suitcase in an attempt to fly to Orlando, enjoyed Thanksgiving at home in Brooklyn," TSA spokesperson Lisa Farbstein wrote in a social media post:

Smells, the cat who @TSA recently rescued from a checked bag at @JFKairport after he snuck into a suitcase in an attempt to fly to Orlando, enjoyed Thanksgiving at home in Brooklyn. Apparently Smells was planning to chase after a big mouse he heard was running around Disneyworld. pic.twitter.com/kTgQncJqBb

— Lisa Farbstein, TSA Spokesperson (@TSA_Northeast) November 28, 2022

According to Farbstein, Smells was " planning to chase after a big mouse he heard was running around Disneyworld."

Social media users were quick to offer their thoughts on the photo of the orange cat licking his whiskers while staring at a plate of Thanksgiving fare.

" Awww, I'm happy he got a nice meal. He had a rough week lol," one person commented , while another replied , "Such a cutie!! So glad he is ok and hopefully learned an important lesson about sleeping on clothes lol (probably not) lol."

Cats enjoy squeezing themselves into tight spaces and even though it may appear uncomfortable, the animals do so because it makes them feel secure, according to Pawtracks.

"Cats tend to feel safer in enclosed spaces, especially when they have at least three sides. A top to the enclosure will make your cat feel even more secure," the site read.

Meanwhile, smaller pets are allowed through checkpoints but TSA urged travelers to contact their airline about policies regarding the issue.