CAT WHO STOLE BISCUITS FROM POLICE STATION GIVEN ‘ASBO’ AFTER TERRORISING NEIGHBOURHOOD

Britain’s naughtiest cat, who sneaked into a police station to steal biscuits, has been given an ‘ASBO’ by an animal welfare organisation.

Bob the notorious ginger Tom was handed a ‘Social Cat Behaviour Warning’ after “harassing” locals and causing “alarm and distress” to his owner through his mischievous behaviour while prowling the Medway towns in Kent.

The feline has been accused of walking in on women changing at a nearby swimming pool, pretending to be starving to get free meals from strangers, and harassing students on their way to college, among other “crimes”.

The mock ASBO was penned by Natasha McPhee, director of non-for-profit organisation Animals Lost and Found in Kent (ALFIK), who helps to reunite missing pets with their owners.

Natasha came to know Bob after numerous people reported him to ALFIK as a stray.

She reunited him with his owner and soon discovered that the naughty pet is well known in Gillingham, Kent, where he lives.

The ginger cat has even been compared to the lead character in hit film ‘A Street Cat Named Bob’, which sees a stray feline transform the life of a recovering drug addict.

Natasha said: “Bob was a stray cat originally. His current owner found him and said he was really friendly, so she thought he must’ve had a home.

“She took him to the vets, but they had no luck finding his owners, so he came home with her.

“Slowly but surely, we started getting more and more pictures of this cat being posted on the Animals Lost and Found Facebook page, and then Kent Police posted a photo online saying he’d got into the station and started stealing their biscuits.”

Earlier this month, Medway Police tweeted a photo of Bob sat next to a tub of biscuits, with the caption: “We appear to have adopted a Medway Police Station cat.

Bob at the local swimming pool

“No matter how many times he is escorted out of the building he returns to stalk the Christmas biscuits.

“No chip but clearly well cared for if anyone is missing this little fella?”

According to Natasha, 38, Bob isn’t the only pet whose mischievous antics have gained him notoriety in the area.

Other notorious animals include Betsy the cat who has mastered the “homeless and starving” act, and Enki the bird who likes to “fly out of nowhere” and peck people.

Natasha decided to set up a poll on the ALFIK Facebook page, which has more than 35,000 members, to find out who the public thought was the naughtiest pet of all.

“We get pets that are constantly coming up on our radar, like Bob, so we just thought we’d have a bit of fun with it really,” said Ms McPhee.

“To lift everyone’s spirits at Christmas, with all the bad news at the moment.”

The votes came flooding in, with plenty of support for Bob.

One person commented: “It’s gotta be Bob for my vote seeing as he’s brave enough to enter a police station and steal their hearts from under their noses and walk out without a care in the world. Plus, he’s gorgeous.”

Another added: “Bob the master criminal, breaking and entering, evading capture, and theft within the confines of the police station, is pretty slick.”

Bob was quickly crowned the most delinquent cat in Kent and Ms McPhee, dressed as a police officer, paid him a visit at home to present him with his ‘ASBO’.

The letter reads: “Your name has been referred to Animals Lost and Found in Kent on numerous occasions.

“It is alleged that you have behaved in a manner which has caused or is likely to cause harassment, alarm or distress to your non-furry parent.

“Specifically, it is alleged that your behaviour includes (but is not necessarily limited to) the following:

“Walking into naked ladies in the changing room of the swimming pool at Medway Park.

“Observing people swimming in the swimming pool at Medway Park.

“Watching students attend college at Medway College.

“Walking up and down the high street pretending to be starving and giving head bumps to numerous young children, making them smile.

“Giving love and comfort to upset people at Medway Hospital.”

The document goes on to grant a ‘Social Cat Behaviour Order’ against Bob, ordering him to stay indoors for two weeks and prohibiting him from entering the areas mentioned, or face being “grounded with the only nice treats available.”

Ms McPhee adds: “Breach of a Social Cat Behaviour Order is a cat offence which if proven could lead to a maximum of four weeks in your own home for an adult cat and six weeks in your mum’s custody for a kitten.”

She informs Bob that ALFIK may be consulting with other agencies to find out what measures they have taken or are proposing to take to address his behaviour, before finishing the letter with: “Because you are a cat and cannot read, a copy of this notice will be served on your Parent/Guardian.”

Animals Lost and Found in Kent was started by the mum-of-two and her partner, Dee Potter, eight years ago, when their cat went missing.

Ms McPhee, who has four dogs and seven cats herself, started the organisation after finding out other animal charities do not search for healthy pets.

She said: “Not knowing where your pet has gone is horrible. When you finally get to bring an animal home it’s amazing – that’s why we do it.”