Kitten Stolen from Petco on York Road: Rescue Director

Timonium, MD — Authorities say a cat was stolen from Petco in Timonium this week.

Honeysuckle was taken from a padlocked cage in the cat room on Tuesday, July 5, according to Cindy Frankel, director of Pet Rescue of Maryland, an all-volunteer group that has been adopting animals out of the store in the 1700 block of York Road for more than eight years.

Since the kitten theft, she said the organization has moved its cats from the store into foster homes.

The Baltimore County Police Department is investigating the crime, and Frankel said the suspects are believed to be local.

The store manager and another Petco employee reportedly saw three young men leave with a cat carrier and get into a vehicle between 2 and 5:30 p.m. on Tuesday, July 5, Frankel said.

"Somebody has to know that these guys have a kitten," she said. "We’re heartsick; there are 75 volunteers, and every one of us is heartsick. We don't know where he is and what kind of care he's getting."

Volunteers are not the only ones broken up about Honeysuckle's disappearance.

"His litter mate—Blossom—absolutely is grieving for him," Frankel said Friday. "He lived to be with her."

The organization saved Honeysuckle's mother from a "pretty bad situation," according to Frankel. Once the cat was rescued, she immediately gave birth to the "little orange guy" and three other "gorgeous, sweet kittens."

Volunteers worked diligently to socialize them, and Honeysuckle was said to be extremely outgoing.

"There was a sibling left in the cage," Frankel said. "I really believe it’s because he was so outgoing....We worked so hard to make him trusting that he became a victim."

The Pet Rescue of Maryland is asking for Honeysuckle's return.

"We are offering a generous reward to get the kitten back," Frankel told Patch. "We have a no-questions-asked policy. If they leave the kitten at the store....We just want the kitten back."

Honeysuckle is described as a 3-month-old orange tabby.

"Police will not be called if the responsible teens just return him to the store or call Pet Rescue and we will pick him up," the organization said in a statement.

Do you know where Honeysuckle is? Pet Rescue of Maryland may be reached at 410-627-6563, or contact the Baltimore County Police Department's Cockeysville Precinct at 410-887-1820.

Photo courtesy of Pet Rescue of Maryland.