KAHULUI, Maui — Two pet cats that broke free from their owners going through airport security have been captured several days later.

Maria and Larry Fischer learned the hard way that they have to keep control of their scaredy cats in the airport.

The cats, on their way from Maui to California, jumped out of their owners' arms June 7 when a metal detector was set off by another passenger at Kahului Airport.

"They just bolted out of our arms. They were so scared," Maria Fischer told the Maui News. "We were just devastated. I was in tears."

The cats had been rescued as strays just a few days earlier, and the owners paid $100 each to transport them in under-seat carriers to Northern California. But they had to be taken out of the carriers to go through security.

One cat, a female, was returned to the couple three days later, after being caught by state officials.

But the other cat, Alex, remained on the loose at the airport for 2 1/2 weeks before being captured June 24 by volunteers from 9th Life Hawaii, which describes itself as a "no-kill cat shelter." Alex was then shipped to the Fischers.

Phyllis Tavares, 9th Life executive director, and Alisha Jensen spent many hours over six nights sitting or lying on the asphalt of the airport employee parking lot before finally capturing the second cat with a drop trap.

"I'm really concerned. I don't want this to happen to anybody else," said Maria Fischer, who lives part time in Kahana as well as in Los Gatos, Calif.

People traveling with cats should be told ahead of time that security personnel take the cats out of animal carriers to inspect the animals and the carriers, Tavares said.

Tavares suggested securing cats with a tight harness attached to a leash threaded through an opening in the carrier so the leash can be held while the inspection is performed.