Meet Floyd the kleptomaniac cat
A ginger cat from a Horowhenua town with a knack for bringing home all sorts of items from around the neighbourhood has inspired a children’s book.
Kathy Gabriel’s book, Floyd, Grandma’s Kleptomaniac Cat, is based on her two-year-old cat who ventures out at night in Levin in search of gifts.
A few months on from its release, Gabriel was ‘‘absolutely stoked’’ with the book, which had done three print runs, or about 200 copies so far.
Kleptomania is the inability to resist the urge to steal items that aren’t needed and usually have little value.
She said Floyd’s habit started with bringing home leaves and twigs, but it had escalated to shoes, bras, tops, shorts, socks and more.
Floyd had to jump ametrehigh fence with whatever item he had in his mouth when he returned home, once scaling the fence with a size 13 work boot in tow.
The giftswere then dropped in the lounge, or on the doorstep if it was too big to make it through the cat flap.
Gabriel said they were gifts for her, and if she was away for a weekend Floyd wouldn’t bring anything back to the house.
She now hung Floyd’s latenight finds on her front fence so those from around the neighbourhood could pick up anything that was theirs.
Gabriel was initially pretty embarrassed about it, but Floyd’s antics had allowed her to get to know her neighbours more, and they had all taken it in good heart. ‘‘Everyone has been really good-humoured about it; I’ve been really lucky.’’
She started putting up photos on her Facebook page, then she opened socialmedia pages for Floyd, before a cousin suggested writing a book about him.
Gabriel was artistic, she made sculptures and jewellery, but had never done a writing project like this .
The book was written with her young grandchildren in mind, and it was originally just for them, but she was encouraged to have a go with self-publishing.
‘‘The book is about community, it’s about this silly cat that has connected the neighbourhood.
‘‘It is a nice feel-good story in the world we live in at the moment.’’ She worked with Precise Print in Paraparaumu, and they had done three print runs since the book was released in February.
Illustrator Garry Fox worked on the book with Gabriel. She said Fox had captured Floyd perfectly, bringing out his quirky personality.
Gabriel had written two more drafts for books about Floyd.
Floyd had a brother, Ted, who did not share his sibling’s tendencies for bringing home gifts.
Heather Siebers, who lives across the street, said she had a copy of the book and Floyd’s stealing was all in good fun.
‘‘He’s a character, I love him. I love to see what he gathers from around the neighbourhood.’’
Siebers had made toys such as sock puppets and balls for Floyd to take back across the streetwith him.
Floyd, Grandma’s Kleptomaniac Cat is available at selected bookshops and online at floydthecat.com.