Miami, Florida - A cat discovered on board a cruise ship was supposed to be put down – until the crew stepped in!

"Meet Ovie!" Royal Caribbean Cruises President and CEO Michael Bayley wrote in a post on Facebook. "The cat smuggled onboard Ovation of the Seas by a guest!"

Bayley and his crew assumed the stowaway was hiding in a guest's sweater and was likely sedated with tranquilizers before the voyage.

"He wouldn’t beep, since Ovie isn’t metal," joked Bayley, explaining how the animal had made it on board unnoticed.

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The ship was in the middle of its voyage when the cat was discovered during a routine inspection.

During the almost three-week cruise, the ship sailed from Hawaii to Sydney, where Ovie was not allowed to go ashore in accordance with local rules and regulations.

Instead, the cat "was supposed to be euthanized!"

Biosecurity agents from New Zealand found Ovie in one of the cabins, but the cruise line has not revealed the name of the traveler who smuggled him on board, the New York Post reported.

Checks like this are mandatory for cruise lines traveling abroad to ensure there is no contraband such as plants, fruit, or animals on board.

Officials quarantined the cat to make sure it had no diseases. According to company policy, only emotional support animals are allowed on board.

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But Ovie's story has a happy ending: After "much back and forth," the kitty was transported back to the US and quickly adopted – by a crew member!

Ovie is adjusting to his happy new life in Miami and probably won't be going on another cruise anytime soon.