This cat is not your usual nap-in-the-sun, play-with-yarn kind of pet. Leonardo da Pinchy, a five-month-old kitten from New Zealand, has turned theft into a full-time job. He steals clothes. Lots of them!
Leo's loot includes socks, underwear, silk boxer shorts, and even a luxury NZ$300 cashmere sweater. He once dragged home a five-foot-long stuffed snake. That is right, five feet. If it smells like a human and hangs on a line, Leo wants it.
Helen North, Leo’s owner, has had to play middlewoman for her cat's crimes. She runs a sort of "lost and found" for stolen laundry using Facebook and WhatsApp. Her messages are simple and blunt. One read, “Are these your undies?”
Neighbors don’t seem mad. Most are actually entertained. Some even joke that Leo hasn’t “chosen” them yet. One person, allergic to cats, now dries their laundry indoors just to avoid a midnight panty raid.
At first, Leo brought home one sock here and there. But his habits escalated fast. Helen began waking up to piles of clothing by the door. It was like laundry grew legs and walked home on its own.
Now, it is daily. Every morning, Leo leaves his stash like trophies. Some still have clothespins attached, and others are obviously expensive. Helen has started to expect it. She even has a dedicated laundry basket for "items that aren't ours."
One neighbor spotted him carrying a pair of large men’s briefs across a busy sidewalk, totally unfazed. Another saw him fighting the wind with a silk shirt, walking like he owned it.
Cats are curious, sure, but Leo seems obsessed. Experts say some cats steal as a way of hunting, even if their “prey” is just laundry. Others do it for attention. But Leo? He looks proud of his work. He poses next to his haul like it is art.
The New Zealand Society / Facebook / The 15-month-old cat, nicknamed "Leonardo da Pinchy," has stolen items ranging from socks and underwear to a brand-new NZ$300 (£145) cashmere sweater.
His full name, Leonardo da Pinchy, started as a joke. Now it fits perfectly. Like a tiny, purring cat burglar from a cartoon, he has become part of local lore. Some folks even want to give him little medals for "service to comedy."
One woman now dries her clothes indoors, afraid Leo will swipe her delicates again. She is allergic to cats and never even had a problem until Leo showed up with her lace bra. Others have tried to outsmart him by drying items on high lines or inside sheds.
So far, Leo remains undefeated. He climbs, squeezes, and finds ways in. If there is a sock drying anywhere nearby, he will find it. Helen has given up trying to stop him. “I’ve learned to just accept it,” she says. “At least he’s not bringing in rats,” the owner jokes.