A pair of exotic animals got confiscated at the Daniel K. Inouye International Airport in Honolulu in September.
Officials with the State Agriculture Department say the animals were bengal cats.
They were brought in from Seattle, Washington but were labeled as domestic cats.
The state says bengal cats are not allowed in Hawaii because they threaten our native birds and they can carry a parasite known to kill Hawaiian monk seals.
“The owners most likely weren’t aware of the exact breed of their animals,” James Thain of the State Agriculture Department said.
Thain also said the owners were not aware of Hawaii laws against bengal cats.
The owners will not be fined, but the cats must return to where they came from.
Bengal cats are kept as pets on the mainland, but are illegal in Hawaii.
