If you’re a pet owner, chances are you’ve encountered your share of embarrassing scenarios. Pets tend to ignore rules and social etiquette. This was the predicament that X user [@barelyalex](https://x.com/barelyyalex) faced when their cat had an unfortunate mishap while flying.
On December 29, @barelyalex posted a viral thread detailing the experience, attracting hundreds of thousands of likes and views. The opening message [read](https://x.com/barelyyalex/status/1873487639514644698): “Put a finger down if ur kitten pooped in his carrier on the plane bc he got scared of a rough landing & the crew was so angry about the smell that they kicked u off ur next flight and left u in a random city for 12 hrs and now ur rationing cat litter & food in a family bathroom.”
The tale quickly caught on, leading @barelyalex to [provide a more comprehensive description](https://x.com/barelyyalex/status/1873596188953575838) of the event. In the post, tagging Southwest Airlines, they clarified that their kitten experienced an incident in its carrier due to being startled by a bumpy landing. With little time to make their next flight, they hurried to tidy up in the airplane restroom. Rather than flushing the waste, they chose to throw it away in the trash, worried that the paper towels wouldn’t go down properly.
Regrettably, this choice appeared to have negative consequences, as the smell reportedly persisted. @barelyalex notified the flight attendants about the issue, only to find out they would be boarding the same aircraft for their connecting flight. The new flight crew, however, was reportedly less understanding. As mentioned by @barelyalex, the crew closed off the bathroom due to the odor and eventually removed them and their kitten from the subsequent flight.
In a later update, @barelyalex shared that Southwest Airlines issued them a $200 travel voucher and booked them on a significantly delayed flight with an additional connection. Despite the extensive hold-up, they ultimately arrived at their destination without further complications.
Mashable sought comments from both @barelyalex and Southwest Airlines but has yet to receive a reply.