Well, it doesn't surprise me. I know people who have sent large knives and guns through and they were not detected. The TSA workers I've seen have always seemed to be doing a good job, but I used to know someone who was a TSA agent and he cared more about trying to get girls phone numbers (key word: trying), than checking bags. Now he's a SWAT agent.
So yeah, with a loser like him being able to get jobs like that, I'm not surprised by stuff like this. And saying they're only meant to detect explosives and weapons is the lamest excuse ever. They find a tiny little shampoo bottle that has a tiny amount of liquid in it, but they don't notice a cat? Lol.