Kelowna's financially troubled CrocTalk has suffered more bad news.
Owner Doug Illman says his prized exotic Bengal cat, Bagherra, has gone missing, and he believes the animal was stolen.
The large and distinctively marked cat went missing the evening of Feb. 21.
Illman says he heard the rumble of a strange truck in front of his Stewart Road home, and that was the last he saw of the cat.
"We've had Bagherra for four years. He never strays far from our voice ... with Bengals, when they want out, you have to let them outside. They will let you know. But he's always come when called and never left the yard. He always comes in at night."
Illman says he let the brown and black male cat out between 5 and 7 p.m. that evening, and after the rumble of a loud exhaust outside, he hasn't seen the cat since.
But there have been multiple sightings of Bagherra, from East Kelowna Road all the way to Hollywood Road, Springfield Road and Abbott Street.
"It's now six nights without Bagherra safe and warm at home," Illman posted on Facebook.
He says he's followed up on several tips, including one in which a nurse on break from Kelowna General Hospital petted a cat fitting Bagherra's description. Illman says Bengals are not wildcats, but rather exotics, and are actually quite tame.
Bagherra has a marbled rosette pattern on his fur, with a spotted belly and sits approximately 16 inches tall. He is microchipped with the ID number 956000008495958 and has the licence tag number 397787.
Illman asks if you see the cat, please call him at 250-717-6060 or Brenda Bruce at 250-317-1103.