Feline Felon Stealing Gardening Gloves

By JIM FITZGERALD

PELHAM, N.Y. (AP) - A pink-and-white gardening glove was missing from Jeannine Goche's front porch. But there was absolutely no mystery about who had taken it.

Willy, the cat who loves gloves, had struck again.

"It has to be him," said Goche, a lawyer. "I've heard about him."

As if the gardeners of Pelham don't have enough to worry about, with the rocky soil, slugs and big trees casting too much shade, a feline felon has been sneaking into their backyards and carrying off at least two dozen of their gardening gloves.

Goche's flower-patterned number may soon take its place on the clothesline that's strung across the front fence at Willy's home, which he shares with Jennifer and Dan Pifer, their 19-month-old son, Hudson, and a mutt named Peanut Chew.

Above the line is a sign that says: "Our cat is a glove snatcher. Please take these if yours."

Nine pairs of gardening gloves and five singles were strung up Thursday morning. Willy, looking innocent, was playing with a beetle in the driveway and occasionally dashing after Hudson.

"This all started about the time people began working in their gardens, I guess March or April," Jennifer Pifer said. "Willy would just show up with a glove, or we'd see them on the front steps. I guess it's better than if he was bringing home dead birds."

She doesn't know how far Willy goes to find a glove, but she has learned it takes him two trips to bring home a matched pair.

Willy, born to a stray last spring and taken in by the Pifers as a newborn, appears to assemble his collection in daytime raids.

"Mostly it happens on weekends, I guess when people are out gardening," Pifer said.

John Cassone, who lives and gardens across the street, said he isn't missing any gloves. He uses "the big, heavy leather kind" and figures Willy isn't strong enough to drag them away.

Guess again: There's a pair of the big, heavy leather kind among Willy's trophies.

In winter, when gardening gloves are hard to find, Willy doesn't become a mitten kitten. His offseason prey is dirty socks, which he brings from the laundry room.

Despite his criminal nature, neighbours get a kick out of Willy. Cassone said the cat likes to accompany the mailman up and down the block, all the way to each front door.

Since Pifer grows flowers, vegetables and herbs herself, isn't she tempted to make use of the endless supply of garden gloves that arrive at her doorstep free, shipping included?

"No," she said. "I do a lot of gardening, but I don't use gloves."