When Karate Chop, a curious and confident cat, first figured out how to use his home's doggy door, he took to sunbathing on the patio and surveying the neighborhood from atop the fence. But soon, his adventures expanded — and so did his flair for mischief.
At first, Karate Chop would return from his neighborhood strolls with all kinds of odd trinkets: mop heads, hats, dish towels, gloves, even artificial flowers. His family, especially his mom Samantha Foster, was both amused and baffled. Where was he finding this stuff?
Then, seemingly overnight, his taste became more specific.
“He’s been bringing home random ‘treasures’ for about a year now, but in the last six months, he’s developed a strong preference for shoes — especially Nikes,” Foster told The Dodo. “When he dragged a toddler-sized Nike tennis shoe all the way up to my bedroom, that’s when I knew it was getting out of hand. I just kept thinking about some poor mom out there, frantically searching for her kid’s missing shoe.”
Feeling a mix of guilt and curiosity, Foster posted on Facebook in hopes of reuniting the stolen sneaker with its rightful owner. As it turned out, Karate Chop’s reputation had already begun to circulate through the cul-de-sac.
“Thankfully, I have amazing neighbors,” Foster said. “After enough times of me asking, ‘Did my cat steal this from you?’ someone finally messaged me first, asking if I’d seen their missing shoe.”
Sure enough, the shoe was in Foster’s backyard. And as if to flaunt his success, Karate Chop followed her — meowing all the way — during the shoe’s return journey. “The audacity!” she laughed.
Since then, Foster and her neighbors have embraced the unorthodox lost-and-found system. Neighborhood Facebook posts and word of mouth have become the go-to methods for recovering missing footwear, all thanks to one determined feline.
“It wasn’t long after our first return mission that another neighbor posted about a shoe left out to dry overnight — and it had vanished by morning,” Foster said. “I didn’t even have to guess. Sure enough, it was sitting in my backyard.”
Karate Chop, of course, remains unapologetic. He continues to “hunt” shoes, proudly dragging them home and presenting them to his mom — even if she doesn’t always appreciate the gesture.
“He absolutely hates the walk of shame,” Foster joked. “Every time I take him with me to return a stolen shoe, he grumbles the entire way. It’s clear he thinks I’m being ungrateful.”
One thing’s for sure: Karate Chop isn’t giving up his Nike habit anytime soon. And his neighborhood? Well, they’ve accepted that if a shoe goes missing, it’s probably just a few backyards away — guarded by a very proud cat.
