The cute Chuckatuck cat story turned into a depressing catnapping mystery over the weekend as one half of the popular couple, Pepper, was swiped from the 7-Eleven parking lot Sunday evening.

Salt, Pepper, and a liter of Pepper’s kittens are owned by Spunk Gwaltney.

Salt and Pepper split their time, and appetites, at the Gwaltney’s store and across King’s Highway at the Seven-Eleven.

The News-Herald featured a story about the cats in the Sunday edition.

But on Sunday night,

as has become a common scene at the convenience store, Salt and Pepper were in front of the store when Pepper was scooped up into a vehicle and driven away by an unknown woman.

According to employees in the store on Sunday, the woman made no attempt to find out who Pepper belonged to.

On Monday, employees at the 7-Eleven heard that Pepper had been taken and were upset about the news.

Susan Creekmore, Chuckatuck resident and volunteer for Paws for a Cause, Inc. went into the store, not knowing of the incident, early on Monday morning and found out about the theft.

&uot;She had no business taking that cat. It’s a state law because cats are considered property,&uot; said Creekmore, &uot;and whoever took that cat could be sued.&uot;

Pepper’s kittens are the main concern for all involved however.

&uot;The cat has kittens back at the Gwaltneys and needs to be able to take care of them,&uot; said Creekmore, &uot;maybe whoever did it thought they were doing the cat a favor, but it’s still wrong, plus you have the kittens still here.&uot;

Paws for a Cause, Inc. can be reached by the website www.paws4acause.bizland.com.

Creekmore is the site’s webmaster and can also be reached at 255-4392.

Certainly employees at Gwaltney’s or the 7-Eleven are eager to hear any news about Chuckatuck’s new famous fluffy, but sadly missing, newsmaker as well.

andrew.giermak@suffolknewsherald.com