Jane Sweet of Stevenage, Hertfordshire, found herself blessed with an unconventional housemate last September when she took in Tofu, a stray kitten with a unique passion for tidying up the neighborhood.
Tofu’s eccentric quest to maintain cleanliness manifests through his habit of bringing an assortment of items home via the cat flap, ranging from crisp packets to unused dog poo bags. His owner humorously remarked that Tofu appears to be on a mission to “clean up Britain’s streets, one piece of rubbish at a time.”
With a camera installed to observe the comings and goings of Tofu and his adoptive sister, Sushi, it became evident that while Sushi proudly presents mice as her contributions, Tofu seems content with more eclectic finds like worms, caterpillars, or even damp leaves.
However, Tofu’s hobby has evolved over time, expanding to encompass an array of “random bits of rubbish,” as described by Miss Sweet. From cigarette filter tips to jam doughnut boxes, his collection knows no bounds. Despite the seemingly odd assortment, Tofu’s efforts have garnered attention and amusement.
Cat biologist and behaviorist Roger Tabor shed light on this behavior, explaining that cats often bring home “trophies,” typically food scavenged from bins. However, some felines, like Tofu, extend their acquisitions to include various human-associated objects, possibly due to a lack of early hunting lessons from their mothers.
Sushi, Tofu’s adoptive sister, appears bemused by his treasures, expressing what Miss Sweet interprets as a mix of curiosity and incredulity. Yet, as Tofu’s collection grew, prompting suspicions of potential house invasions, Miss Sweet took to the local Facebook group to apologize and seek clarification.
To her surprise, the response was overwhelmingly positive, with many expressing delight in Tofu’s quirky antics. Miss Sweet hopes that Tofu’s peculiar gifts will continue to bring smiles to people’s faces as he carries on with his peculiar mission of tidying up the town, one oddity at a time.
