Coffee with Stig the cat
Stig the Norwegian Forest cat has fans around the world after almost two years pilfering the neighbours, with no signs of slowing down.
And now Timaru fans will get a chance to meet the sticky-pawed feline at a coffee morning today, coinciding with the release of a children’s book about the cat’s exploits by owner Lisa Peckitt.
‘‘It’s great to see so many people interested in the stories and it’s fun for them,’’ Peckitt said.
‘‘A lot of them [book buyers] are local but there are some going to other parts of the North and South Island. One is going to Norway, which is appropriate.’’
The Norwegian from New Zealand with the Very Sticky Paws is a rhyming story starting with Stig’s move from a farm to town in June 2018, which kicked off a crime spree of pinching dish scrubbers, fruit, underwear, boots, and more from the neighbours.
Peckitt, who is self-publishing the book with American web-based printing service Snapfish, had already sold about 40 copies with 29 purchased in one day.
‘‘I’ve ordered enough to satisfy the demand but I can always buy more. They take about a week to get here.’’
When spoken to by Stuff this week, Peckitt said that morning alone two-year-old Stig had left three socks and a bedsheet on her doorstep.
The ‘‘weirdest thing’’ Stig had done recently was heave a stolen bath towel into a magnolia tree in Peckitt’s garden, though a plastic bag containing men’s underwear on her doorstep came close. ‘‘There’s a story there I can’t quite figure out.’’
Everything Peckitt had failed to re-home was taking up about a ‘‘cubic metre’’ in her garage. ‘‘There’s a lot and it’s growing almost daily,’’ she said. ‘‘It’s not every day [Stig steals] but it’s most days. It doesn’t look like he’s planning on stopping any time soon.’’
The book is available for purchase at Tuesday on Stafford St or by messaging the Stig – Timaru Cat Burglar Facebook page. It can also be picked up at the Timaru Children’s Library.
Peckitt encouraged those wanting to meet Stig today to also message the social media page.