A Canadian woman and her cat have been sent packing from New Zealand after officials discovered the feline hiding inside the woman's handbag.
The woman, who flew into Auckland from Vancouver on Wednesday, was up front about declaring her dirty boots to biosecurity authorities but failed to mention she had a grey and white cat hidden in her small carry-on luggage, the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) said in a statement.
When staff insisted on x-raying her bag she came clean about the cat, MPI spokesman Craig Hughes said.
Although the woman claimed she had alerted officials about her furry friend when she bought the ticket, the MPI said it was a "deliberate and very stupid" attempt at cat smuggling.
The woman and her cat were refused entry into New Zealand and was sent back to Canada on the next flight.
New Zealand has strict biosecurity rules to stop cats and dogs travelling from overseas in order to prevent pests and diseases from entering the country.
