What are cat eyes? TSA officers detect spike in these self-defense weapons

Although firearm detections hit record highs last year, Transportation Security Administration officers in Albany are currently seeing a spike in a different type of weapon: cat eyes.

Despite their name, the real danger from these weapons come from the ears. Cat eyes are similar to brass knuckles but in the shape of a cat face, with sharp and pointy ears that act like small daggers to stab or gouge. People slip their fingers through the spaces of the eyes and close their fists to use the ears. They're typically made of metal or hard plastic and can also come in the shape of a dog.

"The frequency in which we are seeing these items among carry-on items is disappointing," Bart R. Johnson, the TSA Federal Security Director for 13 airports in Upstate New York, said in a statement.

TSA classifies cat eyes as a "club-like item" and prohibits them from being transported in carry-on bags.

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Often used for self-defense, cat eyes are typically attached to keychains, so it's likely that people forget that they have the weapon when going through a security checkpoint, a TSA spokesperson told USA TODAY in an email.

"We come across these items daily and it slows down passengers who must stop and wait for our officers to remove the offending item and it backs up the line for the other travelers," Johnson said.

If someone's carry-on is detected to have a cat-eye, the item is either confiscated or checked, or the traveler can find another way to remove it from the airport like returning it to their car.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: What are cat eyes? TSA officers detect spike in these self-defense weapons