Kidnappers who rarely hold animals for ransom recently took considerable interest in
Mrs. Eleanor Ramsay's cat. Mrs. Ramsay, a very wealthy old lady, has shared a flat
with her cat, Rastus, for a great many years. One evening, Rastus which should have
returned home at seven o'clock failed to arrive. Mrs. Ramsay looked everywhere for
him but could not find him. Three days after Rastus' disappearance, Mrs. Ramsay
received an anonymous letter. In this letter, she was asked to pay a ransom of ₤ 1,000
for the return of Rastus. The ransom was demanded to be placed in a cardboard box
and to be left outside her door. Fearing that she would never see Rastus again, Mrs.
Ramsay did not call the police and followed the kidnapper's instructions. On the next
day, Mrs. Ramsay, of course, got her cat back home. The police got a shock when Mrs. Ramsay told them what she had done. She informed them that Rastus was dear to her. Considering the amount she paid, he was dear in more ways than one!
