Cat Burglars

[Circe]

Seriously, the feline kind.

My old cat used to LOVE jewelry: I only realized this after several things went astray and I went on a mad hunt, only to find her stash under my fridge. I got into the habit of hiding all of my necklaces - she had a particular penchant for chains. People used to think I was making this up: one roommate in particular thought I kept my cat penned up because I was paranoid, or something. She changed her tune after a day when we were hanging out and had both left our doors open, and we spotted Gypsy (the cat) sashaying out of her room, tail held high, gold necklace between her teeth.

My second cat is a placid beast: she doesn't care about much except for food and cuddling.

But the new kitten ... oy! He LOOKS just like my old cat, skinny and black and ratty, and I'd hoped he'd have some similar traits - curiousity, playfullness, energy. But I didn't picture the jewelry thing coming back! But ... his favorite game is to sit in my lap, watch my pendant, and try to yank it off my neck, and I JUST caught him stealthily leaping onto my dresser, going to the tray I keep my day-to-day jewelry in, grabbing a pair of stud earrings, and carrying them off! I guess I'm lucky that, a) I caught him, and that, b) he went for the fakeys instead of my engagement ring, which was lying right next to them! I guess cats aren't the most discerning of bling fans.

Anybody else have a cat with a jewelry fetish? Or is it just me?

 

[lulu]

My cat Sophie did. I found her stash one day when I followed her carrying a quarter in her mouth. It was all under the stove including a necklace I'd been looking for. Not just jewelry, all sorts of shiny things. She had been a feral kitten and she also liked to sleep halfway up the Christmas tree. I miss that girl.

There's nothing more fun than a kitten-enjoy!

 

[asscherisme]

That is so funny! I have 2 kittens and have not noticed the jewelry thing. I have had them since summer time. But I don't leave jewelery in plain site. I am however aware of not leaving stuff on the bathroom counter when cleaning it because my kittens follow me around and reading this site I have learned to not leave it alone for a second or my cats might get it.

My kittens have their own weird fettish though. They LOVE hair accessories. I have long hair and so do my 2 daughters so there are all kinds of headbands, pony tail holders etc. My kittens will contantly steal these things from the bathroom and just walk around with them. They know they should not do it because when you spot them with a hair accesory in their mouth, they will dash away from you. I found a stash under my daughers bed! Its become a joke that we can't leave hair stuff laying around. My older daugher LOVES sparkly hair accessories and it was dissapearing as fast as I was buying for her and we found it all under her bed!

They are so funny and cute I can't believe I waited so long in life to have a cat and now I have 2

 

[dragonfly411]

Lulu - What color was sophie?

I'm curious b/c Circe you said both of yours were black. I had read in another thread about black cats being talkative and inquisitive. I have a black cat. He talks. He also now thinks it's great to try to eat my cross necklace, and shiny buttons.

 

[Circe]

I've actually heard that both pure white and pure black cats are likely to have what people think of as "Siamese" traits - being talky, loyal, tricksy little troublemakers. My white cat is definitely a talker ... just much more of a lapcat. I actually think the phenotype has more to do with it: I've seen placid rotund black cats with small ears who are as peaceful as all getout. But you get the giant bat-ears and the skinny build? It seems like odds are good you'll have trouble on your hands.

 

[cnspotts]

Not jewelry but I missed a day of school because my cat ran off with my keys once, I didn't have a spare set for some reason at the time.

 

[lulu]

Dragonfly-Sophie was a black/grey tabby.

 

[dragonfly411]

Ahh, cool!

 

[rhbgirl24]

My cat does that too. If I leave the jewelry box open or something out on the dresser it will def disappear! I normally find it under the cushion of one of her beds. lol

 

[sillyberry]

I posted before about my friend's cat stealing my engagement ring. About a week later she caught him with her watch in his mouth!

None of the cats I've lived with (and over the years it has been a LOT!) have been jewelery stealers. Watch, I'm setting myself up for the next one to be a thief!

 

[merilenda]

My cat has knocked rings down when I leave them laying around. One time, a ring ended up down the bathroom sink when I forgot to put it on after a shower. I got it back, but it was a hassle.

I no longer leave jewelry sitting out, especially rings. I do take off my e-ring while I'm in the shower, but I put it in the medicine cabinet. And I immediately put it back on after I'm done with the shower.

Oh and I have a solid black kitty! She's very chubby though. I'm not sure which cat is the ring stealer, but I think it's her.

 

[princesss]

I've actually heard that both pure white and pure black cats are likely to have what people think of as "Siamese" traits - being talky, loyal, tricksy little troublemakers. My white cat is definitely a talker ... just much more of a lapcat. I actually think the phenotype has more to do with it: I've seen placid rotund black cats with small ears who are as peaceful as all getout. But you get the giant bat-ears and the skinny build? It seems like odds are good you'll have trouble on your hands.

You described my cats to a T. Lola is sweet, calm, and a little round with small ears. Ezra, my skinny, bat-eared boy is SUCH a stinker! He's into everything, all the time, and allllllllllways has to be doing *exactly* what you don't want him to do.

 

[Haven]

Lulu - What color was sophie?

I'm curious b/c Circe you said both of yours were black. I had read in another thread about black cats being talkative and inquisitive. I have a black cat. He talks. He also now thinks it's great to try to eat my cross necklace, and shiny buttons.

That's really interesting. I had two kitties from age 10 to 28, Boots and Mazi, and Mazi was all black. She was a talker, too. Every morning for all 18 years of her life she woke up with me, and paced back and forth in the bathroom yapping away the ENTIRE time I was getting ready. It really sounded like talking, and of course, I talked back to her and so we had an 18-year conversation.

As for the original question:

One of my childhood kitties, Princess, used to grab fresh cherries by the stem and hide them all over the house if we weren't careful.

One of our current kitties, Vince, steals anything that has string-like characteristics. He claims some of them as his toys, and then fetches them and brings them to us so we can toss it around with him. (When we throw them, he'll fetch them and bring them right back, too.) He's also a carb-loader. He's obsessed with carbs of all kinds--pita chips, popcorn, loaves of bread, English muffins. If we don't guard our carbs, he'll gnaw on them or steal them right off our plate. The best was the time I was eating french fries at a little card table in the family room--out of nowhere his little white paw shot up, slammed on my plate, grabbed a fry, and dragged it to the ground.
He's also obsessed with milk. If I ever need to find him and can't, all I have to do is pull the milk carton out of the fridge and he comes pounding into the kitchen.

 

[merilenda]

Lulu - What color was sophie?

I'm curious b/c Circe you said both of yours were black. I had read in another thread about black cats being talkative and inquisitive. I have a black cat. He talks. He also now thinks it's great to try to eat my cross necklace, and shiny buttons.

That's really interesting. I had two kitties from age 10 to 28, Boots and Mazi, and Mazi was all black. She was a talker, too. Every morning for all 18 years of her life she woke up with me, and paced back and forth in the bathroom yapping away the ENTIRE time I was getting ready. It really sounded like talking, and of course, I talked back to her and so we had an 18-year conversation.

As for the original question:

One of my childhood kitties, Princess, used to grab fresh cherries by the stem and hide them all over the house if we weren't careful.

One of our current kitties, Vince, steals anything that has string-like characteristics. He claims some of them as his toys, and then fetches them and brings them to us so we can toss it around with him. (When we throw them, he'll fetch them and bring them right back, too.) He's also a carb-loader. He's obsessed with carbs of all kinds--pita chips, popcorn, loaves of bread, English muffins. If we don't guard our carbs, he'll gnaw on them or steal them right off our plate. The best was the time I was eating french fries at a little card table in the family room--out of nowhere his little white paw shot up, slammed on my plate, grabbed a fry, and dragged it to the ground.
He's also obsessed with milk. If I ever need to find him and can't, all I have to do is pull the milk carton out of the fridge and he comes pounding into the kitchen.

Vince sounds a lot like my solid gray cat. He's also totally food-obsessed. He will steal food off our plates. It can be annoying, but sometimes saves me some cleaning. If I spill food, he's always there to clean it up immediately.

Oh and anytime we get out a can (of anything) he rushes into the kitchen and starts meowing up a storm, because he thinks it's canned cat food.