Of course not, Kitty.
Transportation Security Administration (TSA) officials in Albany are warning travelers of a disturbing increase in the number of seemingly harmless concealed weapons known as “cat eyes.”
“The frequency with which we see these items in carry-on baggage is disappointing,” Bart R. Johnson, TSA’s director of federal security for 13 upstate New York airports, said in a statement.
These popular self-defense accessories, usually made of metal or hard plastic, resemble brass knuckles but are shaped like a cat’s face, hence their name.
The wearer simply slides their fingers through the eye holes, then uses the pointed ears to slice and tear away attackers, reminiscent of a knuckle-duster that Catwoman might use against her enemies.
As with knuckle-dusters, the TSA classifies the feline-themed accessory as a club and prohibits travelers from carrying them in their luggage.
If cat eyes are detected during security screening, TSA will take passengers aside and search their bags for the items, the statement said.
“At this point, TSA officers give the traveler the choice of returning the item to their vehicle, giving it to a non-traveling companion, returning it to the airline counter to place in checked baggage, or voluntarily surrendering it to TSA for disposal,” the TSA wrote.
Still, travelers often forget they have these items on them because of their cute appearance — some are even modeled after dogs — and the fact that they’re usually attached to key chains for easy access, USA Today reported.
“We encounter these items every day and it slows down passengers who have to stop and wait for our officers to remove the offending item and it slows down the line for other travelers,” Johnson said.
Cat eyes aren’t the only weapons that airport security officers confiscate at ridiculous rates.
Last year, TSA agents intercepted a record 6,737 firearms at airport checkpoints, 93 percent of which were loaded.
This impressive seizure is three times larger than the quantity of weapons seized by the authorities ten years ago.
New York Post
