The owner of a real life cat burglar was mortified when CCTV footage revealed her feline felon was stealing shoes from her neighbours every night – amassing more than 100 in just eight months.
BJ Ross couldn’t work out why there were two shoes left on the pavement outside her house in Altoona, Pennsylvania, back in January, so just threw them away.
However, when rogue footwear including a ladies high heel leather boot kept appearing outside the 45-year-old’s home, the mental health therapist suspected one of her seven cats.
As tuxedo cat Jordan, six, is the only one who roams around at night, BJ decided to attach a GPS tracker on him and set a CCTV camera up outside to catch him in the act.
Lo and behold, footage has repeatedly caught the little thief as he returned home from his exploits – often nabbing two or three shoes in the same night.
And apparently not content with having odd pairs, the mischievous moggie will sometimes return to retrieve the second shoe in a pair on the same evening or even a few nights later.
In an attempt to return the shoes to their rightful owners, BJ has set up a Facebook group called Jordan The Feline Cat Burglar and her son Gavin, 15, has started a website of the same name.
BJ said: ‘I do think it’s so funny but at the same time it is quite embarrassing. I feel bad when he takes someone’s shoes as they might need right away. But he is a cat and he means no harm.
‘I noticed in January there was a shoe or two in my sidewalk. I just threw them away. The shoes came more often.
‘Jordan is my only cat that prowls at night so I figured it was him. I bought him a GPS tracker and put a camera outside. And I caught him.
‘We have had over 100 shoes since January. He sometimes goes back for the pair on the same night. Sometimes several days later.
‘We do have a cat door however he drops them on the sidewalk in my yard.
In the footage shared by BJ, Jordan the cat can be seen in a number of different clips sneaking across the yard with a variety of shoes in his mouth.
‘He can get very protective over the shoes though. Once my brother brought his dog over, and Jordan guarded them the entire time,’ BJ said.
‘We have returned several pairs to their owners since we set up the page and are trying to return more. Fortunately, the couple of neighbours who have come for them have found it funny.
‘Jordan doesn’t just bring shoes though. He has also brought a bathing suit, gloves, knee and elbow pads, a baseball mitt and a knee brace. Once he even brought a live snake into my kitchen.
‘We rescued Jordan for Gavin as he has Asperger’s syndrome and the cat has helped comfort him and teach him patience.’