Some of you may remember the recent story on Bored Panda regarding a little cat burglar, stealing toys and bringing them to his cat mom. If you missed the story, you can read it here, but it seems cats are animals that love breaking the law. Although their tiny mittens are smol, they are very sneaky with how they use them.
Toothbrushes, combs, toys, your long-awaited dinner - nothing is safe when a cat is around, whether you own one or not. A cat can sneak into your home and take your beloved belongings like the true criminals they are. This is a story of one such cat, who’s earned the title of ‘klepto cat’.
Here is a very humble and precious plea for all your love and likes and comments. Now that that’s done, let’s get into the story.
'Klepto cat' strikes again, terrorizing the neighborhood by stealing little random things he finds
Image credits: SWNS
Look at what the cat dragged in! No really, look, it’s a possum! Oh damn, now it’s loose in the kitchen. At least there’ll be something to eat for dinner… In this British lady’s case, the giftings from the cat are a little less dramatic, but no less exciting.
The cat, named Charlie, has been excelling in his criminal career, bringing his owner, a 41-year-old Alice of Bristol, UK, gifts every now and then; gifts she didn’t previously own.
He’s been affectionately named ‘klepto cat’ and his favorite targets have been Alice’s neighbors. To help return some of the stolen goods, Alice has set up a return box, placing all the stolen items within so her neighbors can identify their belongings and take them home.
Charlie is the adorable cat burglar, nabbing everything from glasses to plastic dinosaurs and bringing them back home to his family
Image credits: SWNS
The cat’raband (get it, contraband from a cat, hehe) includes rubber ducks, plastic dinosaurs, glasses and cutlery. It all started when Alice discovered a toy diplodocus on her pillow one morning, as reported by Good News Network. Confused as to where it came from, the fingers pointed at only one suspect.
Charlie was adopted with his sister Smudge after they were abandoned as kittens. During the first three months, the kittens were not allowed outside, however, as soon as they believed him to be ready, Charlie was allowed to explore. Almost as soon as that happened, strange items started appearing in the house. Alice said that “over the course of a week or so, loads of toy dinosaurs kept appearing in the house, which was really weird.”
First a green stegosaurus, then a red one the next day. She’d just assumed her friend’s kid had left them by accident, but then she woke up with a long-necked dinosaur right next to her head on the pillow, “which made me think of that moment from 'The Godfather.' Charlie just sat there looking proud of himself." Guess pride let the cat out the bag… Lesson one, kitten - don’t get caught.
It is unclear how the cat can sneak, steal, and skedaddle without anyone catching him in the act, yet, the random bits and bobs prove his guilt
Image credits: SWNS
As it turned out, Charlie was nabbing the toys from a children's nursery at the end of the road. It seemed he’d found a lovely little place full of exciting bits and bobs, and thus, picked up the dinos one by one. According to Alice, the cat “has never caught a bird or a mouse or anything like other cats do... He just goes off and finds whatever he can."
Apparently, the thief has a taste for different things depending on his mood. "He’s well into clothes pegs at the moment," Alice said. She also recalled the time he brought back a rubber duck, which was quite large: “I have no idea how he managed that and got it through the cat flap. He went through a phase of coming back with those little mini-skateboards too.”
Alice and her daughter Martha decided to make things right by setting up a shelf and leaving the bounty for neighbors to identify and reclaim
Image credits: SWNS
To correct some of the cat’s wrongdoings, Alice and her daughter Martha set up a little shelf outside, displaying all the bizarre and wonderful things Charlie brings back in an attempt to reunite them with their rightful owners.
There are words written on the shelf, saying: “Klepto-Cat. Our cat Charlie likes taking things, do any of these things belong to you? If they do, please help yourself!” It is a simple, yet ingenious idea that is both hilarious and useful.
Alice believes it’s the thrill of the chase, the quest that the kitty enjoys, being a little Robin Hood, bringing goodies to his family. She laughed at the fact that so many people loved the story, when they’d “been laughing about him for over a year. Whatever it is, we still love him to bits!" We love him and his antics too, but let's dive into why cats steal in the first place.
Why do cats steal? Well, to some degree, it's in their nature; the hunter's instinct turning on. Other times, it's boredom
Image credits: Harry Cunningham
The Healthy Pet Club states that “your cat may be stealing things because they’re a bit bored.” It brings forth a level of excitement, regardless of whether it’s a leaf or a diamond necklace. They also may be following the innate instinct to hunt.
However, according to Cat Behavior Associates, the things cats steal may get swallowed, lodged in their mouths or stuck on their tongues, potentially causing a health risk, so make sure to keep little things out of sight.
If the furbaby is stealing to get some attention from you, then any reaction to it will continue the cat’s behavior. Sometimes, any attention is better than none.
Also, it could be a means of soothing, as the cat might be feeling stressed for whatever reason. Could the cat mayhaps not see it as stealing but as already owned property that is misplaced, aka not in their home? Who knows… There’s as many reasons for a cat to steal as there are dinosaur figures.
The little cats are very similar to the large, wild cats in that manner, however, you can, as owners, train your cats to refrain from criminality
Image credits: Ryutaro Tsukata
If the theft of things goes against your ethical beliefs, then there are ways to help your cats get over their thieving addiction. The healthy cat club recommends having more play time with your feline friend, so as to satisfy their hunting instinct and need for play.
But if your kitty is stealing food, then Cat Behavior Associates recommend incorporating puzzle feeders into your cat’s mealtime routine: “Since a cat is a predator, the concept of working for food is very natural and a puzzle feeder is an easy way to provide that.”
Also, consider dividing up meal portions (without increasing them) if you’re only feeding the cats once or twice per day, as they could be getting too hungry.
More play and more excitement are generally the ways to go, and yet, is it really that bad for cats to be stealing, especially when they cause little harm?
Image credits: SWNS
More play, more excitement, and more attention seem to be the main bits of advice from experts. However, it seems like an interesting skill that could potentially be used for some good.
Joshua Klein designed a ‘crow vending machine’ which gives the bird a peanut for every coin found and deposited. Apparently, the black beauties are smart enough to make the connection: “Pick up the coin, put it in the box and receive a reward.” Now, considering the cat's innate capabilities and inherent kleptomania, why not teach them to do something similar? Just an idea, don’t kill me for my curiosity.
Regardless of the debate, Charlie will continue his legacy as Bristol's cutest thief and we hope to hear more of his antics
Image credits: SWNS
Regardless of all the reasons cats may steal and all the ways to prevent them doing so, it remains incredibly funny when cats partake in this sort of behavior, and as long as it’s not hurting anyone or the kitty itself, I say - let it nab, nab away!
Let us know what you thought of this story. Of course you’ve read all of it, there can be no doubt of the fact. Look, I know reading comes second, especially when there’s cute kitty pictures, but it will mean the world to me if you comment ‘cheeky whiskers’. Do it. Have a good day as well. But do it.
People have shared their own experiences. Have you had a kleptomaniac pet? Let us know in the comments
