Missing cat prompts extortion attempt of pet’s owner in Ontario town: police [Video]

Police in Guelph are on the hunt for a person who’s believed to have tried to extort the owner of a lost family pet.

A man whose cat went missing in January from his home in the sound end of the southwestern Ontario city reported to Guelph Police on Monday he received a text message that same day from someone claiming to have his cat. The man had offered a cash reward via social media and posters around his neighbourhood for the animal’s safe return.

The person, via Monday’s text, then demanded payment in exchange for a photo proving his claim that he had the family pet, police said in a news release on Tuesday.

“The owner asked to meet in person and promised to pay the reward for the cat’s return,” police said. “However, the unknown male claimed he had given the cat away and stopped responding.”

A police …