Achilles, Cat Stuck In Ceiling At Rocky Mountain Metropolitan Airport, Has Landed Safely (UPDATE)

For aircraft enthusiasts, the term "ceiling" typically refers to the maximum altitude a plane can reach, or the lowest level of clouds above the ground. For aircraft enthusiasts with cats, however, "ceiling" may just be the thing their feline friend is stuck in.

We aren't kidding.

Will someone please call the FAA? Achilles, an exotic Bengal cat, just reached cruising altitude in the ceiling above Broomfield's Rocky Mountain Metropolitan Airport.

UPDATE:

9News reports Achilles has been recovered in a live trap at the Denver Air Center. The cat's owner, Mary Palmer, told the station the cat "succumbed to the aroma of the tuna in the trap."

EARLIER:

The Broomfield Entrprise first reported that a woman preparing to fly home Monday first decided to release her cat to use the litter box. After leaving his crate in the bathroom, Achilles reportedly jumped onto a nearby sink, then leaped through a hole in the ceiling left over from recent construction work.

"You can hear the cat in the ceiling," said Trish Reynolds, Achilles' owner's sister, to KMGH. "But people can't get into the ceiling because of how it is constructed."

Attempts at luring the cat out with food, bells, milk, and even other cats have so far failed. A Daily Camera report states Achilles has eaten food left in the ceiling for him, but he's either too scared or is having far too grand a time up there to descend.

Flickr photo via MeowMixx1980

Comments

[OKSunny]

07:20 PM on 02/15/2012

Why the heck do people fly with cats??

I guess if you are moving that is one thing but it says she was flying home so I don't get why she'd want to take her cat with her?

[SukiTheCat]

10:30 PM on 02/15/2012

I agree...I actually have to travel with my cat soon as I am moving, however I would never travel with him as a companion, cats are so easily freaked out, they are much happier in familiar places where they feel safe

[Mariah Elf]

04:48 PM on 02/15/2012

And this would be the reason ALL my cats are harness trained. If I have to have them out of the security of their carrier for any reason I have a way to control, via the leash on the harness, where and how far they go.

[SukiTheCat]

10:32 PM on 02/15/2012

My cat loves to go outside and eat grass but he can't do so unless he's on his harness, however, he's gotten into the annoying habit of going to the draw where I keep his harness and pawing at it...

[emeraldshield]

03:51 PM on 02/15/2012

I am confused. Did this cat get out of a private airplane into an open Airport? And are there unescorted children running around that Airport? How incredibly irresponsible and downright stupid.

[BlueGinger]

03:45 PM on 02/15/2012

So Ceiling Cat really is watching?

[Harold Saxon]

03:37 PM on 02/15/2012

Ceiling cat is watching you board.

[hattie54]

03:21 PM on 02/15/2012

Open a dang can of tuna instead!!!!

[heerox001]

06:06 AM on 02/16/2012

I know a cat that eats anything except fish. That cat is above the influence of fish but she loves chicken.

[hattie54]

10:34 AM on 02/16/2012

Thats funny.My old Siamese would turn his nose up at salmon ( fresh or canned ) but would come running when I opened up a cheap can of tuna.:)

[sociocanuck]

03:10 PM on 02/15/2012

It escaped in the bathroom?

"Ceiling Cat is watching you Pee", indeed.

[rkeeeballs]

02:57 PM on 02/15/2012

Gosh Bengal cats are so cool looking, I was going to have one myself but the animal dealer advised not to because of my two siamese cats...Bengals are territorial and prefer (will) dominate the house. They also are much bigger than regular house cats....this one looks to be over 25+ pounds...wow !

[Ohaikiwi]

03:08 PM on 02/15/2012

If you like Bengals, check out the Savannah Cat. I have two of my own and their gorgeous and loving cats. Big though, and have a wild streak (:

[outlawjames8]

05:36 PM on 02/15/2012

I like both, does a Savannah require a special diet?

[valeskas]

11:27 AM on 02/16/2012

I adopted from our Animal hospital, I do not have a cat with pedigree, but he loves me anyway. There are so many precious babies at shelters, adopt one and it will be rewarding.

[Cat-Lover]

10:27 PM on 02/15/2012

Animal dealer???? Why? When there are so many cats waiting in "kill" shelters?
Oh, the inhumanity.....

[valeskas]

11:29 AM on 02/16/2012

I always adopt from the shelters, now that I am getting up there in age, I will adopt older kitties, to give them a loving home. F/F

[eltrip]

02:47 PM on 02/15/2012

This isn't news. Just a lost cat. What will be news is if the airport officials use common sense and charge the owners for the cost of retrieving this cat.

[jbjg24m]

02:41 PM on 02/15/2012

here kitty kitty kitty

[healbaum]

02:39 PM on 02/15/2012

For those of you who have mentioned using live traps, the video reporter has said that one has been placed in the building (and yes there is food in it) for the kitty. Let's hope it works.

[LXIX WITHU]

02:38 PM on 02/15/2012

Beautiful cat! Hilarious story.

[catboycolo]

02:58 PM on 02/15/2012

FU

[BeasleysMom]

03:19 PM on 02/15/2012

So much hate. I guess making statements like that make you feel like your have a big Richard.

[LenR]

02:37 PM on 02/15/2012

Don't feed it. It will come out soon enough. One thing to remember: cats do what they want to do when they want to do it. The only one they respect is the oldest animal in the pride.

[heerox001]

06:11 AM on 02/16/2012

Not if you train it to do what you tell him/her to do. My cat doesn't like being punished.

[Susy Leontiev]

02:24 PM on 02/15/2012

This cat DOES NOT look like a TIGER!! Tigers have Stripes! This is a Bengal Leopard! I have one

& she's a FEMALE,"MYSHKA". They are very beautiful & exotic!!! Maybe I can take her to where

Achilles is & SHE can MAKE him come out of his hidding place!!!

[LenR]

02:39 PM on 02/15/2012

Egyptian Mao's do all that and then some. In Egypt, the Maos kill cobras and horned nose vipers.

[outlawjames8]

05:43 PM on 02/15/2012

First I heard of that breed, very pretty. Are they very expensive? I love all cats big and small. Not so much the hairless one, creepy.