To learn more about how this conversation started in the first place, we reached out to Premee Mohamed, the author who started this viral thread holding cats accountable for their crimes. First, we wanted to know if Premee has always been a cat person or if this is a new adventure for her. “I've always liked cats, and I've hung out with the cats of friends and cat-sat a few times, but Fiasco is the first cat I've ever owned!” she told Bored Panda. “I adopted him in July 2022.”

We also asked Premee what has surprised her the most about having Fiasco. “I'm so new to cat ownership that everything is a surprise,” she shared. “I thought you couldn't touch cat bellies, but he loves being petted and brushed on his belly! Things going missing, I think I expected, but not to this extent. Not being able to go to the bathroom alone... People warned me about that, but I thought they were exaggerating.” 

“And I think most of all, I'm constantly surprised by how clingy he is! I thought cats slept most of the day and liked their own space, but he'd be attached to me with velcro if he could,” she added. “I feel like I might have to buy a pet sling, so I can work without interruption.”  

When it comes to what Premee thinks all other pet owners should know, she says, “Get pet insurance! This is a very boring thing to say but I think it's important!”

And as far as why we love these cats, despite their criminal nature, Premee told Bored Panda, “They're such funny, affectionate little animals, it's impossible not to love them! I swear I've learned something new about Fiasco every day, and laughed at him every day since I got him. He's worth the world even though he REALLY NEEDS to stop STEALING MY SOCKS AND STUFFING THEM UNDERNEATH THE BED.”

Finally, she added, “Support your local animal rescues and shelters if you can! They always need money, volunteers, food, blankets, and towels if you can spare it.”

And if you’d like to support Premee the author, as well as the cat owner, you can find her website and all of her books right here!  

To learn even more about these fluffy little felons that we know and love, we reached out to cat expert Heather Svoboda Miller, Communications and Development Manager at Cat Adoption Team in Oregon, and she was kind enough to have a chat with us. First, we were curious why we perceive cats as so mischievous. “Cats are intelligent and trainable, but dogs tend to be easier for humans to train so I think many of us consider dogs to be more obedient, while we might think of cats as naughtier, more independent, or even apathetic,” Heather told Bored Panda. 

“Cats are clever, small, and agile, so they can make their way into unexpected spots where we might not want them to go — into the home ducting, on top of high beams, slipping out of a cat carrier — which makes them seem like little deviants when really they are just acrobatic and prone to hiding!” she explained. “While I love to think my cats understand me, I doubt they have any idea that I think of them as ornery. And if they did know, I doubt they'd care!”

We also asked Heather why she thinks we love cats so much, despite their lengthy criminal records. “In my line of work, I talk with a lot of cat lovers and in my experience, we seem to love them not in spite of their ‘criminal’ behavior but because of it!” she noted. “Cats surprise and delight us with their antics, bringing laughter to our lives. When your cat swipes a loaf of bread off the counter, for instance, it's as hilarious as it is frustrating. Cat people just can't get enough of cats being ‘naughty’ (though I do wish they wouldn't eat all my cords!).”

And if the cat crimes in your home have gotten a little out of control, we asked Heather how they can be prevented or managed. “Some unwanted behavior is inevitable from any pet because some of their most natural instincts, scratching for example, are behaviors we don't always love in our homes,” she explained. “But with a little patience and effort, it's possible to reduce the number of ‘cat crimes’ committed in our homes through positive training methods, like clicker training, and by better understanding our pets' needs.”

“As experts in cat care, Cat Adoption Team offers a wealth of cat care and training information on our website,” Heather added. “Fear Free Happy Homes, Jackson Galaxy, Kitten Lady, Pam Johnson-Bennett, and Karen Pryor Clicker Training are a few other great resources. Depending your cat's personal brand of naughtiness, cat-proofing your home might mean putting valuable keepsakes in safe places your cat really can't reach, using child-safe locks to secure cabinet doors closed, tucking electrical cords into protective covers, and making sure there are plenty of people-approved scratching surfaces like cat trees or cardboard scratchers in areas where your cat spends their time.”

Finally, Heather wants to remind cat owners to be aware of changes in their pet’s behavior. “Always remember that a new or strange cat behavior could be the result of a medical condition, so check with your veterinarian, especially if your cat is eliminating outside their litter box, eating or chewing odd items, vocalizing more frequently, hiding more or less, having trouble jumping/landing a jump, etc.,” she told Bored Panda. “You might learn that their ‘mischievous’ behavior is the result of pain or suffering, so you can take steps to help them feel better and improve the situation for everyone!”

If you’d like to gain even more guidance from the experts at Cat Adoption Team, be sure to visit their website right here!

We also reached out to the cat experts at Cat Behavior Alliance to hear their thoughts on this topic, and Certified Cat Behavior Expert Rita Reimers was kind enough to have a chat with us. "Cats are very intelligent, and they need to be played with, and have other things to do," Rita told Bored Panda. "If cats don’t have enough things to keep them busy, they will decide some of your items might be fun to steal. We have a small wild animal in our homes that have all of their natural instincts that still need to be fulfilled. Cats must hunt, cats must scratch, and cats must climb, and they will find ways to do these things in your home that might not be pleasing to you."

We also wanted to know Rita's thoughts on why we love our kitties so much despite their criminal behavior. "Cats are crepuscular, meaning they are most active at dusk and dawn when in nature they would be hunting for food," she explained. "Those late-night activities are what indoor cats do in place of the foraging they would be doing outside. Knocking things over, well, that is primarily to get your attention, and it usually done out of boredom. A bored cat is a mischievous cat! But one look at those whiskered faces, and of course, all is forgiven."

When it comes to minimizing the amount of crimes taking place in your home, Rita says, "Environment enrichment, bringing the outdoors in, will help keep cats from getting bored, and boredom is where the mischievous actions come in. Things like cat trees, shelving to climb, cat grass, and self-play toys will help keep kitties engaged in activities that mimic what they would be doing in nature. Treat balls, puzzle feeders, and lick mats will keep cats challenged, and they serve to act in place of the hurting cats usually do for their food. It would also be a good idea to move breakables to places where your cats cannot get to them."

"Giving your cat plenty of things to do will help keep them out of trouble. But, cats are cats, and they are never going to be PURRfect. Love them as they are, while helping them be cats," Rita added.

If you'd like to learn more about how to keep your cat happy, healthy and (somewhat) out of trouble, be sure to visit the Cat Behavior Alliance's website right here!

Are you feeling a bit scared of your feline friends after realizing the destruction that they are capable of? It’s important to know what you’re getting yourself into before adopting a cat, but as all cat owners will tell you, it’s totally worth the mayhem to get to share your life with a mischievous little fur ball. Keep upvoting the pics that you find most hilarious, or relatable if you’ve got some kitties of your own, and then if you’re interested in checking out a Bored Panda article celebrating cats’ adorable “murder mittens”, you can find that piece right here!