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London's Cat-napper

Matt Van Hoven

Browse News

BY CATEGORY:
BY PET:

October 23, 2007

Someone has been kidnapping – or cat-napping – cats from the Bramley Crescent neighborhood in London.

For some time, residents whose pets have gone missing didn't know what to think.

But in an anonymous letter sent to each owner, the culprit is all but identified. The writer stated a friend set the cats free in an undisclosed location 25 miles away. They were allegedly unharmed.

The letter complains that the cats were captured in the writer's garden.

The note goes on to say that the cats constantly invaded neighborhood gardens. It says, “We are fed up with 'MY' children coming in from the garden with cat 'poo' on their hands.'

Amongst other complaints, the letter states that the cats leave piles of bird feathers on the lawn and urinate on 'expensive shrubbery.'

Finally, the culprit threatens that if the cats somehow make it back to their owners and are caught in the garden again, they will be destroyed.

Based on the letter, it's been determined that the guilty party lives on the same street where the cats were stolen.

The cats' owners are obviously distressed by the loss, since it isn't likely they'll see their pets again.

For now, police are investigating. But so far, none of the cats have returned.

Tell us what you think about London's cat-napper, by commenting under this story. You can send us a video by clicking on the zootooTV tab.

Share your story ideas by emailing us at



Tags

london, missing, cats, lost & found, international

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486 comments found.
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Katie M.
Katie M. (katielynn7)
5 months ago
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I would definitely keep my cats safe indoors.
 
Norrie
Norrie (norrie43)
5 months ago
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It's difficult at first to make your cats stay in, especially if there are children in the home but if there's a cat hater close by then it's quite necessary!
Seems the culprit could be zeroed in on;
1. They have small kids
2. They have no cats and probably no dogs
3. They roll their eyes when you talk about your sweet cat.
 
Robyn
Robyn (robyn101)
7 months ago
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Its best to keep your kitties in the house safe by your side.
 
jccoin
jccoin
8 months ago
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Are they sure the person isn't eating them. Last time we were in London there were tons of immigrants. Seriously, if pet owners didn't let them roam they couldn't be stolen. Inside, inside, inside!
 
Suzanne L.
Suzanne L. (CandysMom)
8 months ago
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Let's keep our kitties indoors so they are safe.
 
Mary Lynn H.
Mary Lynn H. (Hethly)
8 months ago
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Inside and safe. This takes more effort on the part of the pet parent, but is necessary.
 
themsdad
themsdad
8 months ago
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another reason to keep your cat inside.
 
Jason P.
Jason P. (JPAULS)
8 months ago
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Good reason why house cats shouldn't be allowed to roam outside--lots of danger out there.
 
Anonymous
Anonymous
8 months ago
This comment has been removed.
 
mary k.
mary k. (rosesinmay77)
8 months ago
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I wonder what happened on this?
 
Jeff K.
Jeff K. (jkruser)
8 months ago
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Not the best way to handle the situation but people shouldn't let their cats roam free.
 
Cindi K.
Cindi K. (tinaturner)
8 months ago
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very sad, I would leave my cat inside for it's own safety
 
barb a.
barb a. (redneckbarbie)
8 months ago
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Cats that dont go out is the safest for them
 
JIM K.
JIM K. (jimmkol)
9 months ago
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ouch, well at least they have some closure knowing where there cats are
 
People should keep their cats inside and this won't happen.
 
Jodi S.
Jodi S. (jodiscaife)
9 months ago
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Unfortunately, this sort of thing is a result of the difference in attitude surrounding indoor/outdoor cats in the UK. In the US, most of us feel it's safer for cats to be indoors, but it's normal for cats in the UK to be allowed to roam since rabies is virtually non-existant, and there are fewer natural predators. I wonder if the upset neighbor was a transplant from the States!
 
ctwrapping
ctwrapping
9 months ago
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Wonder what happened on this?
 
sandy h.
sandy h. (sandy5)
9 months ago
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Wouldn't it have been better to have a neighborhood discussion before going to the extreme of hauling the cats 25 miles away where they will probably perish?
 
Michele C.
Michele C. (pattimichele)
9 months ago
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I realize this is an old headline. Since they anonymous letter writer "Was all but identified" I am assuming the whereabouts of the cats have been invesitgated. Any follow up? Even the return of 1 cat would make us feel better.
 
Rynn
Rynn
9 months ago
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If someone was stealing cats, you would think people would keep their cats inside.
 
maggiethecat
maggiethecat
9 months ago
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I wonder how this turned out. Who ever was doing it wasn't a cat person, that should have narrowed it down some.
 
jello1
jello1
9 months ago
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Obviously that person will have to leave the area--can't imagine they think it would be safe to stay.
 
Meryl O.
Meryl O. (OnealMeryl)
9 months ago
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This is very sad. I bet they weren't micro chipped.
 
Anonymous
Anonymous
9 months ago
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dstrykr
dstrykr
9 months ago
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Because they are insecure, weak people with a conflict issue of being control freaks.
 
Anonymous
Anonymous
9 months ago
This comment has been removed.
 
Edward Robin
Edward Robin (erobin)
9 months ago
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The cat-napper sounds very strange---any updates?
 
DDRau
DDRau
10 months ago
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Wow. Another reason cats should be kept indoors.
 
Terry F.
Terry F. (TZFitch)
10 months ago
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I would certainly think there was a better alternative to handling this situation. I have cats, I'm a cat lover, but I hate it when my neighbors' cats come in our yard and fish out of our koi pond or try to catch our birds. German Shepherds, I have found out, are a great deterrent to the situation.
 
Anonymous
Anonymous
11 months ago
This comment has been removed.
 
illbewaitingpet
illbewaitingpet
11 months ago
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I hope this person was located and held accountable! That is not the way to solve the problem and it was downright cruel!
 
Barbara B.
Barbara B. (BasiaJune)
11 months ago
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Horrible story but I am big on keeping pets indoors. Dogs it does not matter if you keep them fenced in your yard and they can not roam the streets. But we all know cats are great jumpers and climbers. They can get over any gate some how! I hope these cats are returned or found by better owners because if they are found in this persons yard again they will be destroyed he stated. Also that is very disrespectful for this man or womans yard being destroyed by these cats. These cat owners should have some respect! I know I would not like my garden destroyed by someone elses cat if I put so much effort into making it nice!
 
Anonymous
Anonymous
11 months ago
This comment has been removed.
 
Michaelyn
Michaelyn (MichaelynL)
11 months ago
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This might actually get more out of hand. I would be scared to live in that neighborhood. Owners need to not let their pets roam freely because of weirdos like this.
 
brittany b.
brittany b. (britakb)
11 months ago
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creepy! It's just a garden. Maybe he should put a fence around it.
 
Linda T.
Linda T. (LindaThomasCPDT)
11 months ago
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How sad for these catsa and families
 
Mary Ann P.
Mary Ann P. (jcdogwalker)
1 year ago
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Well I do feel terrible for the poor kittys. Very sad. Wish owners would wake up and stop allowing their cats out of doors.
 
Anonymous
Anonymous
1 year ago
This comment has been removed.
 
Pam T.
Pam T. (pjtritt)
1 year ago
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I think this jerk should be taken 25 miles into the desert and set free. He certainly has no feelings for animals--nor the humans who love them.
 
jan l.
jan l. (janlincicome)
1 year ago
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I would be intersted in an update on this. I am sure they know which neighbor it is. It sounds like it would certainly be a good idea for people in that neighborhood to keep their pets indoors.
 
Sue R.
Sue R. (suerob)
1 year ago
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Look for the one who doesn't own a cat or have one missing.
 
LoriHill123
LoriHill123
1 year ago
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Anyone seen an update?
 
Sue R.
Sue R. (suerob)
1 year ago
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True - any update??
 
JAG
JAG
1 year ago
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This is awful to steal someones pet and take it miles away. The poor things. There has got to be a better solution than this.
 
Lillian S.
Lillian S. (dales8774)
1 year ago
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I hope the kidnapper was caught.
 
jholt
jholt
1 year ago
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Any update on this strange story? Hope the kidnapper was caught - really cruel way to handle the situation.
 
cwasson
cwasson
1 year ago
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Again - the poor animal suffers. This was NOT the way to handle the issue - sad!
 
Lynn C.
Lynn C. (Lynn1)
1 year ago
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What the cat thief did was so cruel to those cats ~ abandoning them far from their home. "Unharmed" is a matter of perspective ~ hungry and alone isn't unharmed to me! But, the other side is ~ when you're a pet owner, you have an obligation to make sure your pet's aren't another person's pests!
 
Sue R.
Sue R. (suerob)
1 year ago
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Agreed on both parts. If the person had confronted the owners, then they might have had a chance to do something.
 
Chrissy
Chrissy (blondiestlouis)
1 year ago
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I would be mortified if somone took my pet!
 
David R.
David R. (Wally)
1 year ago
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I would love to hear an update on this story. I do believe that a large city is unsafe to have your pet loose in, but the kidnapping is terrible too. Have any residents managed to find their cats?
 
Sue R.
Sue R. (suerob)
1 year ago
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I hope that some of them found their way back home on their own. They are good at that.
 
D. Rene
D. Rene (mooredr3)
1 year ago
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I not quite sure that cats should be running loose.
 
jill l.
jill l. (JillLong)
1 year ago
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This is terrible. I think this individual could have handled this situation much better. I hope he will face fines/charges for what he has done. Not nice.
 
sharon z.
sharon z. (Sharonzaldumbide)
1 year ago
Flag this | Good Point | 0 users voted.
Reply
seriously whqt is wrong with people!!?
its so sad and low how someone kidnapps cats..im digusted.
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