12:32pm UK, Tuesday August 10, 2004

A plane was forced to return to base after a cat attacked a pilot.   

Gin was travelling to a cat show when he was inadvertently liberated from his cage after his owner fell asleep.

180 cat

The cat launched himself at the co-pilot

After stretching his legs he found himself in the cockpit, where he took an instant dislike to the co-pilot.  

"The passenger was asleep and at that point the cat managed to escape the cage," a spokesman for SN Brussels spokesman airline said.   

The scared animal was "very aggressive and scratched the co-pilot", forcing the crew to return to the airport.   

The flight was carrying 62 people and was travelling from Brussels to Vienna.   

The plane had been in the air for 20 minutes when it was forced to turn back.   

It is thought the cat slipped into the cockpit after the door was left open by stewardesses who were serving the pilots lunch.   

The passengers were put on another flight to Vienna, without the cat and its owner, who had to take a separate flight there.