http://www.salon.com/mwt/wire/2003/07/24/cat/index.html
This cat burglar is really a cat

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Associated Press


July 24, 2003 | SIMI VALLEY, Calif. (AP) -- A cat burglar's booty is
being hoarded in a Ventura County home.

A marauding feline named Midnight -- now dubbed Klepto Cat -- has been
sneaking off in the dark to raid neighbors' homes, garages, sheds and
patios, bringing home shoes, hats, shirts, socks and even a wrapped
Christmas present.

It's stressful for pet owners Richard and Sue Boyd.

"We get so embarrassed by this," Sue Boyd said. "We wake up in the
morning and go out and there's stuff under the truck. The cat leaves
things all over. We don't want these things."

"He's a klepto cat," her husband said.

Each day, Midnight's owners leave a bag with the purloined goods hanging
from their mailbox so neighbors can reclaim missing items.

It is unclear why Midnight prefers wearables.

Gary Sampson, an Indianapolis-based veterinarian who specializes in cat
behavior, said the 13-year-old cat is probably drawn to body odors.

"He's obviously a hunter," Sampson said. "He's doing this at night. This
is when they can get prey. It's just an extension of that."

Police Sgt. Paul Fitzpatrick said there isn't anything the police could
do about Midnight's crimes, except refer the complaint to animal control.

Claudia D. Dikinis
http://starcats.com
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