In a quiet neighborhood of West Yorkshire, England, residents have been facing an unusual crime wave. The culprit isn’t your typical thief but a 12-year-old black and white cat named Taboo. This feline felon has developed a peculiar habit of stealing clothing items from neighbors, carrying them home through her cat flap or leaving them on the driveway for her bewildered owner to find.
Meet Taboo: The Four-Legged Felon
Image by pexels
Taboo isn’t your average cat. While most felines might bring home mice or birds as gifts for their owners, this particular pet has developed a taste for human accessories. Sandra Danskin, Taboo’s owner, often returns from work to find an assortment of stolen goods awaiting her.
“Whenever I come home from my shift there are all sorts of things waiting for me,” Danskin explains. The cat’s methodical approach to her crimes is particularly noteworthy. If she steals one sock, she’ll actually return to get its match, ensuring her owner receives complete pairs. This attention to detail suggests there’s more to these thefts than random behavior.
Neighbors React to the Klepto-Cat
Image by pexels
The community’s response to Taboo’s crimes has been surprisingly good-natured. Neighbors have jokingly mentioned changing their locks, while others have suggested training the cat to steal more valuable items like luxury watches instead of everyday objects.
So far, Taboo has maintained an impressive record, being caught in the act only once when a neighbor spotted her making off with a t-shirt from his clothes dryer. To help reunite victims with their stolen property, Sandra regularly posts pictures of Taboo’s haul on social media, allowing locals to identify and reclaim their belongings.
The Science Behind Feline Theft
Scientists are still puzzled by this behavior. “We are not sure why cats behave like this,” admits Auke-Florian Hiemstra, a biologist at the Naturalis Biodiversity Center. While cats bringing home dead animals is well-documented, the theft of inanimate objects remains largely unexplained.
“All around the world there are cats doing this, yet it has never been studied,” Hiemstra notes. This case presents a unique opportunity for researchers to better understand feline psychology and behavior patterns. Similar incidents have been reported elsewhere, including in the Spanish town of Frigiliana, suggesting this might be a more widespread phenomenon than previously thought.
Despite her owner’s best efforts to discourage the behavior, Taboo shows no signs of reforming her criminal ways. Sandra has “tried talking to her about it,” but the cat seems determined to continue her life of crime. For now, residents of West Yorkshire will need to keep a close eye on their laundry lines and perhaps consider investing in more secure storage for their socks and gloves. Meanwhile, Taboo remains at large, continuing her peculiar crime spree one sock at a time.
