Cat Travels World for 24 Hours After Being Forgotten in Plane's Cargo Hold

A New Zealand family's move to Australia took an unexpected turn when their cat, Mittens, was accidentally left on a plane, leading to a whirlwind 24-hour journey in the cargo hold.

On January 12, Mittens, an eight-year-old Maine Coon, was booked to fly with her family from Christchurch to Melbourne as part of their relocation, BBC reported.

However, after landing in Melbourne, her owner, Margo Neas, waited for three hours at the airport, only to learn that Mittens' cage had been overlooked in the cargo hold and the plane had already returned to New Zealand.

A stowed wheelchair may have obstructed the baggage handler's view of the cage, causing the oversight.

Mid-flight, the Air New Zealand pilot was alerted to Mittens' presence and ensured the cargo hold's heating was turned on to keep her comfortable.

Upon arrival back in Christchurch, Mittens was safely cared for and rebooked on a return flight to Melbourne, where she was finally reunited with her family.

Despite the ordeal, Mittens was unharmed, though she had lost some weight. Air New Zealand apologized for the incident, pledged to improve its processes to prevent similar errors, and reimbursed all associated travel costs.