Living with a Bead Thief

 I live with a kleptomaniac. He has a very specific target, which is so hurtful to me as a glass bead artist and jewelry designer. He is a bead thief.

 

He is just over 11 years old, covered in orange hair, and also has a serious catnip problem. And for some reason, has developed a bead fetish in recent months, especially when they are packaged in plastic bags.

 

Bead Thief after a particularly nasty catnip binge.

At first it was cute to watch him fly over the baby gate, precious stolen goods in mouth. Then, I began to find bags left by my bed, in the middle of the living room floor, hidden under the couch. The ones by the bed caused the hairs on the back of my neck to raise up; were they supposed to an offering, or a warning? Was I supposed to be proud of him for “catching” an, oh-so-quick-bag of beads? Or was I supposed to start beading with one eye turned over my shoulder (ok, so he also has a staring problem that can creep anyone out!)

 

 The final straw was last week. A beautiful set of five beads were drying after being cleaned. They were little purple trinkets of joy. And faster than you can say “meow,” when my back was turned, one of the beads disappeared. Just like that, gone. No where to be found. The bead thief had struck! I can only imagine what his treasure trove will look like in a year if we don’t stage an intervention immediately.

 The poor little bead set had to be listed without it’s sibling, whose absence was felt as I uploaded the picture

Note how the first bead can barely stand upright, due to its sorrow.

to my Etsy listing. I included a picture of the bead thief, just in case he is working as part of a larger feline bead operation. Maybe, someone will recognize his orange klepto behind, and he will be brought to justice, and my beads will be free.

 

Hopefully, we can work together to prevent future felines from straying down the wrong alley and our lovely beads from being ripped from their homes, only to lie among dust bunnies, bottle caps, and twist ties.