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Photograph by Paul Myers
Oscar the cat dashes out the back door of his Jasmine Way home, probably thinking about his next foray into the neighborhood.
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The cat's out of the bag for a local 'cat burglar'
By Shari Kaplan
Perhaps one of Los Gatos' most notorious feline residents, Oscar Soule has earned a lot of nicknames in his Blossom Manor neighborhood, including "The Cat Burglar" and "Kleptocat."
Anyone meeting the large, fluffy calico mix on his own turf--the Jasmine Way house and garden he shares with his four humans--may decide that "Packcat" also fits him, based on the treasure trove of odds and ends he collects that would make even a packrat's beady eyes green with envy.
A sampling includes old rags, a large paintbrush, a teddy bear, an entire roll of toilet paper, a Nerf football, tennis and other sports balls, a safety dust mask, a San Francisco Chronicle (still in its bag), a purple satin pillowcase, a pair of gardening gloves and cycling gloves, socks (not always in pairs), camellia blossoms and even a kid-sized T-shirt that said "Bad Dog, Really Bad Dog."
According to Julie Soule, Oscar began "relocating" neighborhood items when he was six months to a year old, following his nightly prowls. She isn't sure what the first items were that he proudly deposited on the back steps, but she thinks they were magnolia leaves, a neighborhood dog's tennis balls, or Capri Sun juice pouches. As soon as the house next door started undergoing renovations, foamy chunks of insulation and carpet padding also began appearing.
"For a while, it was trial and error trying to figure out which cat was doing it," says Julie's 12-year-old daughter Emily, referring to Oscar's mother, two siblings and an unrelated cat, all of whom live with the Soules. Nine-year-old Catherine says she suspected it might be Oscar because of his habit of carrying a stuffed animal rabbit around the house.
The family eventually figured out it was Oscar--no doubt accompanied by feline thoughts of "What took you so long?" Now, to ensure that his prizes don't go unnoticed, Oscar announces himself with what Julie describes as "a broken-sounding meow--more of the 'owwww' and less of the 'me'." Sometimes he even awakens her and her husband at the night.
"I don't know where most of this stuff comes from, but most of it isn't worth returning. Oscar shows no interest in them once he brings things here," she says, speculating that perhaps he just wants to impress his humans. "No one's ever approached me to ask, 'Did Oscar take whatever,' but I do sometimes go around asking people, 'Is this yours?' "
One example was the large plush teddy bear Oscar showed up with this July, the night after some neighbors had a garage sale. Julie brought the bear to her neighbors, but none of their children claimed it. It was only after Julie walked across the street and three doors down that she discovered the bear belonged to the daughter of a family who had just moved in. Fortunately, Julie adds, only once did Oscar ever show up with a dead animal.
Julie says she wants to apologize to anyone on Jasmine Way whose property may have been prowled by Oscar the cat burglar. She also offers a warning: "He's unpredictable. I tell all the neighbors to keep their valuables inside!"
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Los Gatos, California Since 1881
