A Canadian woman has been kicked out of the country after trying to smuggle her cat in a handbag through Auckland International Airport.

The woman arrived on a flight from Vancouver and only declared a pair of dirty boots to biosecurity officials.

Spokesman for the Ministry of Primary Industries Craig Hughes said she was very reluctant to have the hand bag x-rayed, saying it had already been checked by our quarantine officers.

She only revealed the cat after they insisted the bag undergo further biosecurity checks.

The woman claimed she had alerted officials about the cat when she bought her ticket - but Mr Hughes said he believed it was a deliberate and very stupid attempt at smuggling.

The cat has been sent back to Vancouver with the woman.