Hair-raising break-in at Oakland cat adoption center prompts security concerns

OAKLAND, Calif. (KGO) -- A hair-raising break-in overnight at Oakland's Cat Town adoption center caught was caught on surveillance footage.

"When I saw the footage and I saw the person, you know especially the absolute indifference to the cats I was absolutely enraged," said Cat Town Executive Director Ann Dunn. She says two cats were gone when she got in. They saw one go out the window in the surveillance video.

One of the escaped cats ran down the block to a muddy constructions site. When workers started their equipment in the morning it startled her out of hiding so they were able to catch her.

Daniel Johnstone of Johnstone Moyer Incorporated made the catch. "I've heard my whole life that the construction industry can be like herding cats and today I learned that it definitely was," laughed Johnstone.

He said the people at Cat Town cried in relief when he brought the muddy cat back to the center.

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The intruder tried to get into the café, but it was locked. They do not keep money in there overnight.

"It's really shocking that someone would break into a cat café," said Dani Brown, an Oakland resident who adopted a cat Friday.

Search crews found the second cat late Friday night.

The non-profit started fundraising for security windows to prevent future break-ins.

"That's the real cost is not just repairing the single window, but is replacing all the windows so that they're more secure," said Dunn.

Security is so the felines don't flee until they're adopted.

Click here to donate and help Cat Town.