As most of you know, the main cat character in my Klepto Cat Mysteries has a habit of taking things. Now cats are curious, but Rags has a curiosity streak above and beyond most cats. He digs into women’s purses, runs off with interesting things he finds left lying around the house, and sometimes goes to a lot of trouble to do his burgling. 
This trait of his is not something I conjured up out of thin air. There actually are klepto cats or cat burglars—a fact that has always intrigued me.
I think my first introduction to a cat burglar was in one of James Herriot’s charming books. Or it could have been “All of My Patients Are Under the Bed,” by Dr. Louis J. Camuti, perhaps.
With the advent of the Internet, all types of cat stories have come to light, including a few featuring cats that take things. So yes, it is a reality for some cats—to be sure.
Our Lily could be considered a klepto cat. She has certainly taken things of ours—cash, notes, stuffed bears, socks, recipes, nail files, etc. And she has gathered quite a collection of toys, which she likes to carry around in her mouth. What does she do with these things? If I’m at my desk, she brings them to me. At night, she decorates the house with them.
Rags, on the other hand, often drops his loot at the feet of a key person in order to help solve a crime or intense mystery. Oh yes, his clues, as well as his demeanor, have helped to locate a missing horse, convict a few killers, save several lives, and sometimes embarrass his people.
If you’d like to take a peek into the life of a klepto cat, pick up any of the 14 Klepto Cat Mysteries and start reading. The latest one is Meow for the Money. In this story, Rags helps to save some precious cats and more… http://www.matilijapress.com/Klepto-Cat-Mysteries
