NZ Herald
  • Home
  • Latest news
  • Video
  • New Zealand
  • Sport
  • World
  • Business
  • Entertainment
  • Podcasts
  • Quizzes
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Travel
  • Viva
  • Weather forecasts

Subscriptions

  • Herald Premium
  • Viva Premium
  • The Listener
  • BusinessDesk

Sections

  • Latest news
  • New Zealand
    • All New Zealand
    • Crime
    • Politics
    • Education
    • Open Justice
    • Scam Update
  • Budget 2025
  • On The Up
  • World
    • All World
    • Australia
    • Asia
    • UK
    • United States
    • Middle East
    • Europe
    • Pacific
  • Business
    • All Business
    • MarketsSharesCurrencyCommoditiesStock TakesCrypto
    • Markets with Madison
    • Media Insider
    • Business analysis
    • Personal financeKiwiSaverInterest ratesTaxInvestment
    • EconomyInflationGDPOfficial cash rateEmployment
    • Small business
    • Business reportsMood of the BoardroomProject AucklandSustainable business and financeCapital markets reportAgribusiness reportInfrastructure reportDynamic business
    • Deloitte Top 200 Awards
    • CompaniesAged CareAgribusinessAirlinesBanking and financeConstructionEnergyFreight and logisticsHealthcareManufacturingMedia and MarketingRetailTelecommunicationsTourism
  • Opinion
    • All Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Editorials
    • Business analysis
    • Premium opinion
    • Letters to the editor
  • Sport
    • All Sport
    • OlympicsParalympics
    • RugbySuper RugbyNPCAll BlacksBlack FernsRugby sevensSchool rugby
    • CricketBlack CapsWhite Ferns
    • Racing
    • NetballSilver Ferns
    • LeagueWarriorsNRL
    • FootballWellington PhoenixAuckland FCAll WhitesFootball FernsEnglish Premier League
    • GolfNZ Open
    • MotorsportFormula 1
    • Boxing
    • UFC
    • BasketballNBABreakersTall BlacksTall Ferns
    • Tennis
    • Cycling
    • Athletics
    • SailingAmerica's CupSailGP
    • Rowing
  • Lifestyle
    • All Lifestyle
    • Viva - Food, fashion & beauty
    • Society Insider
    • Royals
    • Sex & relationships
    • Food & drinkRecipesRecipe collectionsRestaurant reviewsRestaurant bookings
    • Health & wellbeing
    • Fashion & beauty
    • Pets & animals
    • The Selection - Shop the trendsShop fashionShop beautyShop entertainmentShop giftsShop home & living
    • Milford's Investing Place
  • Entertainment
    • All Entertainment
    • TV
    • MoviesMovie reviews
    • MusicMusic reviews
    • BooksBook reviews
    • Culture
    • ReviewsBook reviewsMovie reviewsMusic reviewsRestaurant reviews
  • Travel
    • All Travel
    • News
    • New ZealandNorthlandAucklandWellingtonCanterburyOtago / QueenstownNelson-TasmanBest NZ beaches
    • International travelAustraliaPacific IslandsEuropeUKUSAAfricaAsia
    • Rail holidays
    • Cruise holidays
    • Ski holidays
    • Luxury travel
    • Adventure travel
  • Kāhu Māori news
  • Environment
    • All Environment
    • Our Green Future
  • Talanoa Pacific news
  • Property
    • All Property
    • Property Insider
    • Interest rates tracker
    • Residential property listings
    • Commercial property listings
  • Health
  • Technology
    • All Technology
    • AI
    • Social media
  • Rural
    • All Rural
    • Dairy farming
    • Sheep & beef farming
    • Horticulture
    • Animal health
    • Rural business
    • Rural life
    • Rural technology
    • Opinion
    • Audio & podcasts
  • Weather forecasts
    • All Weather forecasts
    • Kaitaia
    • Whangārei
    • Dargaville
    • Auckland
    • Thames
    • Tauranga
    • Hamilton
    • Whakatāne
    • Rotorua
    • Tokoroa
    • Te Kuiti
    • Taumaranui
    • Taupō
    • Gisborne
    • New Plymouth
    • Napier
    • Hastings
    • Dannevirke
    • Whanganui
    • Palmerston North
    • Levin
    • Paraparaumu
    • Masterton
    • Wellington
    • Motueka
    • Nelson
    • Blenheim
    • Westport
    • Reefton
    • Kaikōura
    • Greymouth
    • Hokitika
    • Christchurch
    • Ashburton
    • Timaru
    • Wānaka
    • Oamaru
    • Queenstown
    • Dunedin
    • Gore
    • Invercargill
  • Meet the journalists
  • Promotions & competitions
  • OneRoof property listings
  • Driven car news

Puzzles & Quizzes

  • Puzzles
    • All Puzzles
    • Sudoku
    • Code Cracker
    • Crosswords
    • Cryptic crossword
    • Wordsearch
  • Quizzes
    • All Quizzes
    • Morning quiz
    • Afternoon quiz
    • Sports quiz

Regions

  • Northland
    • All Northland
    • Far North
    • Kaitaia
    • Kerikeri
    • Kaikohe
    • Bay of Islands
    • Whangarei
    • Dargaville
    • Kaipara
    • Mangawhai
  • Auckland
  • Waikato
    • All Waikato
    • Hamilton
    • Coromandel & Hauraki
    • Matamata & Piako
    • Cambridge
    • Te Awamutu
    • Tokoroa & South Waikato
    • Taupō & Tūrangi
  • Bay of Plenty
    • All Bay of Plenty
    • Katikati
    • Tauranga
    • Mount Maunganui
    • Pāpāmoa
    • Te Puke
    • Whakatāne
  • Rotorua
  • Hawke's Bay
    • All Hawke's Bay
    • Napier
    • Hastings
    • Havelock North
    • Central Hawke's Bay
    • Wairoa
  • Taranaki
    • All Taranaki
    • Stratford
    • New Plymouth
    • Hāwera
  • Manawatū - Whanganui
    • All Manawatū - Whanganui
    • Whanganui
    • Palmerston North
    • Manawatū
    • Tararua
    • Horowhenua
  • Wellington
    • All Wellington
    • Kapiti
    • Wairarapa
    • Upper Hutt
    • Lower Hutt
  • Nelson & Tasman
    • All Nelson & Tasman
    • Motueka
    • Nelson
    • Tasman
  • Marlborough
  • West Coast
  • Canterbury
    • All Canterbury
    • Kaikōura
    • Christchurch
    • Ashburton
    • Timaru
  • Otago
    • All Otago
    • Oamaru
    • Dunedin
    • Balclutha
    • Alexandra
    • Queenstown
    • Wanaka
  • Southland
    • All Southland
    • Invercargill
    • Gore
    • Stewart Island
  • Gisborne

Media

  • Video
    • All Video
    • NZ news video
    • Business news video
    • Politics news video
    • Sport video
    • World news video
    • Lifestyle video
    • Entertainment video
    • Travel video
    • Markets with Madison
    • Kea Kids news
  • Podcasts
    • All Podcasts
    • The Front Page
    • On the Tiles
    • Ask me Anything
    • The Little Things
    • Cooking the Books
  • Cartoons
  • Photo galleries
  • Today's Paper - E-editions
  • Photo sales
  • Classifieds

NZME Network

  • Advertise with NZME
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • BusinessDesk
  • Newstalk ZB
  • What the Actual
  • Sunlive
  • ZM
  • The Hits
  • Coast
  • Radio Hauraki
  • The Alternative Commentary Collective
  • Gold
  • Flava
  • iHeart Radio
  • Hokonui
  • Radio Wanaka
  • iHeartCountry New Zealand
  • Restaurant Hub
  • NZME Events

SubscribeSign In
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Home / Lifestyle

Pāpāmoa cat burglar Neko steals 50 shoes, prefers left feet

Samantha Motion
By Samantha Motion
Regional Content Leader·Bay of Plenty Times·
19 Mar, 2019 06:42 PM4 mins to read

Subscribe to listen

Access to Herald Premium articles require a Premium subscription. Subscribe now to listen.
Already a subscriber?  Sign in here

Listening to articles is free for open-access content—explore other articles or learn more about text-to-speech.
‌
Save

    Share this article

The owner of a Pāpāmoa cat that has stolen around 50 shoes has no idea why he does it or how she can return them all.

A Pāpāmoa cat burglar has stolen an estimated 50 shoes - mostly left-footed - from his neighbourhood in just a few months.

Gemma Larsen said she adopted her black cat Neko - Japanese for "cat" - from a friend's litter five years ago.

"He's such a friendly cat. He loves being around people and always wants attention."

Neko brought home the odd mouse or bird but the first sign of his shoe obsession was when he nicked a neighbour's pair around Christmas 2017.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

The shoes were returned and nothing happened for a year.

A few months ago, however, Neko started bringing home shoes. Lots of shoes.

"We had no idea what was going on," Larsen said.

"Suddenly there would be five shoes in the driveway from one night."

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Gemma Larsen with her klemptomaniac kitty Neko. Photo / George Novak
Gemma Larsen with her klemptomaniac kitty Neko. Photo / George Novak

The kleptomaniac kitty prefers Jandals but his collection also includes some sneakers, a few socks, a couple of gardening gloves and a towel. Once, even, a knee-high boot.

"[From] Mostly the left foot, but then you'll wake up and there's a pair so he does like to go back for the other shoe."

She guessed he was bringing them as "gifts".

Larsen and her husband live near Topaz Dr and neighbours have collected a few stolen shoes but she is at a loss for how to return the rest.

"I have no idea where they are coming from, I have no idea how far he goes.

"I have no idea why he is bringing them. Is it like a gift? I have no idea but it's quite funny."

She has set up an Instagram page for Neko.

View this post on Instagram

Thus is my collection at this moment! I like shoes 😸 #shoestealer #nighttimehunt #sneaky #pairs

A post shared by Neko (@neko6260) on Feb 21, 2019 at 7:31pm PST

Already one person - who was sent a link to the page after posting on a community Facebook group about seeing a black cat take off with a school sandal - has been in touch.

Larsen said anyone in her area missing footwear could contact her through the Instagram page with a description.

Neko was not alone in his hobby. In 2013 an Arataki cat, Tabby, stole more than 50 shoes, while Canterbury cat Cooper is said to have made off with more than 100 in his time.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Dr Elsa Flint, an Auckland-based veterinarian and animal behaviour expert, said shoe theft was an example of an "aberrant predatory behaviour".

The cats were treating shoes like more traditional prey such as mice, birds or skinks.

"The cat will usually yowl and cry in the same way it would if it brought a mouse home."

She said the behaviour was "quite common" but shoes were an unusual target.

"It's usually stuffed toys or jerseys."

Gemma Larsen with Neko and his shoe stash. Photo / George Novak
Gemma Larsen with Neko and his shoe stash. Photo / George Novak

Cats often liked rubbing against shoes so there might be an attraction to the odour.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Asked why a cat might prefer the left shoe, she said: "I don't have any explanation for that."

Flint said the best way to stop the behaviour would be to keep the cat inside at dusk or early morning - around the times it would normally go out hunting - and keep the cat "engaged in play" during that time.

It was usually something owners could curb without expert help, and most of the time people found it amusing.

Occasionally, however, she had been called in when a cat was stealing things that could make them sick if ingested, such as socks, or "getting death threats from the neighbours".

Case of the Kiwi cat burglars

- Pavlov: Whangārei kitty that flogged a range of clothing and footwear items
- Mo: Mt Eden cat who made off with five box-loads of clothing, including underwear, over two years
- Brigit: Hamilton cat obsessed with men's underwear
- Bear: Mt Albert cat who nicked more than 15 socks
- Bo: Taupo cat stole small, plush toys

Save

    Share this article

Latest from Lifestyle

Lifestyle

What drinking coffee every morning does to your gut health

20 May 06:44 AM
Premium
Opinion

Opinion: Porn is bad for us. Why won't anybody say so?

20 May 02:00 AM
Premium
Lifestyle

Ministrokes can have major consequences. Here's how to spot one – and what to do next

19 May 10:29 PM

Sponsored: How much is too much?

sponsored
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Latest from Lifestyle

What drinking coffee every morning does to your gut health

What drinking coffee every morning does to your gut health

20 May 06:44 AM

Numerous studies have shown that a cup of joe is good for the gut.

Premium
Opinion: Porn is bad for us. Why won't anybody say so?

Opinion: Porn is bad for us. Why won't anybody say so?

20 May 02:00 AM
Premium
Ministrokes can have major consequences. Here's how to spot one – and what to do next

Ministrokes can have major consequences. Here's how to spot one – and what to do next

19 May 10:29 PM
'Our love story': Meghan shares previously unseen photos on anniversary

'Our love story': Meghan shares previously unseen photos on anniversary

19 May 09:30 PM
Sponsored: Cosy up to colour all year
sponsored

Sponsored: Cosy up to colour all year

NZ Herald
  • About NZ Herald
  • Meet the journalists
  • Newsletters
  • Classifieds
  • Help & support
  • Contact us
  • House rules
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use
  • Competition terms & conditions
  • Our use of AI
Subscriber Services
  • NZ Herald e-editions
  • Daily puzzles & quizzes
  • Manage your digital subscription
  • Manage your print subscription
  • Subscribe to the NZ Herald newspaper
  • Subscribe to Herald Premium
  • Gift a subscription
  • Subscriber FAQs
  • Subscription terms & conditions
  • Promotions and subscriber benefits
NZME Network
  • The New Zealand Herald
  • The Northland Age
  • The Northern Advocate
  • Waikato Herald
  • Bay of Plenty Times
  • Rotorua Daily Post
  • Hawke's Bay Today
  • Whanganui Chronicle
  • Viva
  • NZ Listener
  • What the Actual
  • Newstalk ZB
  • BusinessDesk
  • OneRoof
  • Driven CarGuide
  • iHeart Radio
  • Restaurant Hub
NZME
  • About NZME
  • NZME careers
  • Advertise with NZME
  • Digital self-service advertising
  • Book your classified ad
  • Photo sales
  • NZME Events
  • © Copyright 2025 NZME Publishing Limited
TOP