Cat Lady Slams Alaska Airlines After 2 Pets, 1 Carry-On Debacle

Alaska Airlines doesn't give in to purr-pressure -- that's what Alexandra Compton found out on a recent flight home for the holidays ... and she told TMZ it might be because they're dog people.

Alexandra -- a 35-year-old bartender now known as '2 Cat Karen' -- got into a standoff with airline staff in Las Vegas when they refused to let her board with her 2 cats in the same carrier.

She tells TMZ ... on December 21 she was travelling from Vegas to Portland to go back home for the holidays on a flight with her cats Phoenix and Blaze. According to Alexandra, the airline caused a fuss over the cats being in the same carrier, but she's travelled with Alaska Airlines in the same carrier many times before.

"A man in charge came down from an office and didn’t even look at the cats," Alexandra told us. "He made the decision I needed to book another seat and get another carrier or I couldn’t fly with them. Because he didn’t look at the cats, it made me think he was a dog person. It was giving he had a golden retriever at home."

Alexandra suspects this all may have been a ploy to get more money out of her.

"I spent about $400 more," she said. "But, for me, it wasn’t about money, I was in stressed about my cats."

According to Alexandra, the 13 hours the cats were away from a litter box amounts to animal abuse.

ICYMI ... a viral video shows Alexandra melting down at the airport, saying, "You're telling me I can't go home for Christmas right now. You understand that? Do you understand that? I am about to start crying."

We're told Alexandra's mom booked the flight for her unaware of any restrictions that could hinder her travel plans.

"I've traveled many years with these two fine cats," she insisted.

Staff proposed it was probably with another airline.

Alexandra later took to Facebook, continuing her disappointment, writing, "F*** Alaska Airline their 'policies' and lack of customer service. I hope you all get coal for Christmas."

The thing is -- and you're not going to believe this ... she might be RIGHT!

According to the "Pets in Cabin" policy from the Alaska Airlines website, "Up to two pets of the same species and similar size may travel in the same carrier, provided no body parts protrude from the carrier and the animals are not in distress."