Marine
01-31-2003, 11:27pm
Be warned – a feline is scouring Spotswood's streets and taking whatever it fancies.
Dandelion (3), the kleptomaniac cat, first started collecting when he was a year old and in two years has stolen more than 700 items, according to his owner Sara Peacock.
"I own a cat burglar, he goes into peoples' homes and steals things," Miss Peacock said. "It's an anxiety thing. He wants to please me by bringing me home presents."
The oriental bi-colour cat steals at least one thing a day and has a fetish for socks.
"His specialty is socks. He'll bring home one and go back to get the other. We have lots of pairs but it's really embarrassing as it's not just one a day, it was up to five or six!"
Dandelion has expanded his collection to shoes, clothes, toys, purses, gloves, knickers, rags, pin cushions, sunhats, jewellery and much more.
The clothesline is no barrier to Dandelion as he brings back clothes with the pegs still attached.
"Sometimes you see things dropped along the street and you know he's been collecting."
To start with, Miss Peacock went around the neighbourhood trying to locate the owners of the stolen property but had little success. So now she leaves most things hanging on a tree outside the front of her house and keeps the valuable items inside.
"I hear people walking past saying, `Hey, that's mine'."
Miss Peacock once tried to dob Dandelion into the police after hearing about a spate of burglaries in the area but they did not believe her until they caught him in the act.
Dandelion's curiosity got the better of him and he got locked inside a neighbour's house for three days when they went on holiday.
"I had to call the police and get the window broken, which cost me $115."
Miss Peacock was so concerned about Dandelion's bad habit that she bought him a playmate to occupy his days, but the plan backfired because he started collecting for his feline friend.
So if you live in Spotswood and notice something missing, visit 22 Rospeath Crescent and check if Dandelion has secretly paid you a visit.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/stuff/0,2106,2224577a6002,00.html
Dandelion (3), the kleptomaniac cat, first started collecting when he was a year old and in two years has stolen more than 700 items, according to his owner Sara Peacock.
"I own a cat burglar, he goes into peoples' homes and steals things," Miss Peacock said. "It's an anxiety thing. He wants to please me by bringing me home presents."
The oriental bi-colour cat steals at least one thing a day and has a fetish for socks.
"His specialty is socks. He'll bring home one and go back to get the other. We have lots of pairs but it's really embarrassing as it's not just one a day, it was up to five or six!"
Dandelion has expanded his collection to shoes, clothes, toys, purses, gloves, knickers, rags, pin cushions, sunhats, jewellery and much more.
The clothesline is no barrier to Dandelion as he brings back clothes with the pegs still attached.
"Sometimes you see things dropped along the street and you know he's been collecting."
To start with, Miss Peacock went around the neighbourhood trying to locate the owners of the stolen property but had little success. So now she leaves most things hanging on a tree outside the front of her house and keeps the valuable items inside.
"I hear people walking past saying, `Hey, that's mine'."
Miss Peacock once tried to dob Dandelion into the police after hearing about a spate of burglaries in the area but they did not believe her until they caught him in the act.
Dandelion's curiosity got the better of him and he got locked inside a neighbour's house for three days when they went on holiday.
"I had to call the police and get the window broken, which cost me $115."
Miss Peacock was so concerned about Dandelion's bad habit that she bought him a playmate to occupy his days, but the plan backfired because he started collecting for his feline friend.
So if you live in Spotswood and notice something missing, visit 22 Rospeath Crescent and check if Dandelion has secretly paid you a visit.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/stuff/0,2106,2224577a6002,00.html