Jack leaves local blokes with cold feet

The sign, surrounded by stolen goods, which Jack's owner put up. Photo / Ben Fraser

Springfield has a new undie and sock thief, and it's not who you would expect.

Thirteen-month-old black and white cat Jack has been picking up socks, undies, and other bits of clothing he might find and returning it to his Otonga Rd home under the cover of darkness.

Jack's undie and sock obsession has got to the point where owner Lesley Trendall has tried to reunite people with their lost bits of clothing, putting a sign out the front of her property with the lost items.

Ms Trendall does not think the clothing collecting is just a phase the young cat is going through.

"It started about three months ago. He was bringing home wetas, insects and birds - I had to put a bell on his collar.

"Then he started off with my socks and underwear, he would bring them outside, I had to put them out of his way. Then he would bring home other people's socks and underwear.

"Most mornings there's a sock by his food bowl."

Ms Trendall was not sure how Jack came by the items he brought home, which included an Adidas T-shirt and a pair of child's jeans.

"It's not just socks. I think people must just drop them.

"At night I heard the cat door going 'bang, bang, bang' and I realised that's him trying to get something through the cat door, including somebody's Adidas shirt, and he is not fully grown yet."

She said it was difficult to be annoyed with the cat's kleptomania.

"When he brings other people's things in, especially when he drops it off by his food bowl, he is so proud he purrs at it, and he looks at me and what can I do? I have to pat him and tell him he is a good boy."