How my ginger tom became a terrible klepto-cat

Regarding cat thieves (Cat burglars: scientists try to solve mystery of why felines ‘steal’ random objects, 20 July), some years ago I lived in a terraced street in south-east London, and had two cats. One was called Sam – a large neutered ginger male, like a small lion, who was extremely affectionate and characterful.

He never caught any birds or mice. Sam preferred human food. He swiftly learned to open our fridge and remove any item he chose. We fitted child-proof locks. So he started going elsewhere – raiding houses with cat flaps.

We received regular deposits of food: beef mince, steak, chicken – both cooked and uncooked, often bagged up, from the local butcher’s. Another offering was half a leg of roast lamb: the remains of a Sunday lunch (he somehow managed to get it through our cat flap).

Once he brought in a bag that had contained 2lb of monkfish, obviously intended to be for a dinner party, with one piece left. He couldn’t manage to eat the lot. Then a pound of Sainsbury’s Lincolnshire sausages, left on the stairs.

We were in a difficult situation. Should we go round the streets to find which houses he raided? We had no clues as to where the food had come from, apart from knocking on doors.

He could also turn on the bedside light to wake me up in the morning. Sam was very popular with our family and friends’ children, who never got tired of hearing about his exploits. I have to add that he ate a perfectly normal cat diet as well.
Frances McKay
West Mersea, Essex

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