Ninja cat! Lightning-fast feline swipes food off her owner’s fork as he tucks into meat, fish and even spaghetti
- Vincenzo Padula’s cat Eva regularly jumps on his shoulder to steal food
- The two-year-old cat swipes the food from Mr Padula’s fork at his home in Rome
- Some people on social media complained about the hygiene implications
- More than five million people have watched videos featuring Eva stealing food
This greedy cat has become a sensation after learning to snatch food right off her owner’s fork, though some people have criticised her antics as unhygienic.
Footage shows Eva the cat swiping chicken, vegetables and even pasta just before they land in owner Vincenzo Padula’s mouth.
The two-year-old pet has made it a regular game to grab different dinners off Mr Padula, 23, while he’s eating at home in Rome.
Vincenzo Padula and his cat Eva have become internet sensations after his girlfriend Gaia Garofalo posted footage of them having dinner at their home in Rome online
Eva the cat will eat almost anything from Mr Padula’s fork – including spaghetti
Eva isn’t fussed about what food she can get her paws on, swiping pork, cured ham and even creamy spaghetti from Mr Padula before he has a chance eat.
More than five million people have watched videos of the Italian cat posted online by Mr Padula’s 22-year-old girlfriend Gaia Garofalo.
Ms Garofalo said: ‘Eva started stealing food off Vincenzo just a few months after being born, as soon as she was old enough to climb on his shoulders.
‘She started with chicken, while Vincenzo was on a diet, and from then she realised what we eat is better than what she eats.
‘She’s continued from there grabbing everything, from pasta to vegetables, even if she doesn’t eat them all.
Gaia Garofalo, pictured with Eva, posts videos featuring the cat and her boyfriend online
‘Eva steals vegetables as a game, but then leaves them on the ground and Vincenzo has to pick them back up.
‘She’ll try and steal food from different angles. She climbs on one shoulder, then moves to the other shoulder, then gets on the table, then on the legs.
‘She keeps trying until we put her down and say enough. But if she gets her first bite and likes it, she’ll continue it.
‘Her first love was and will remain to be chicken. It’s her favourite dish, but she will try all the dishes we eat.
‘She only tries it with Vincenzo. Maybe it’s because they have a stronger bond or maybe it’s because he is easier to target. She has tried it with me too but my shoulders are too small and uncomfortable.’
Eva has earned the nickname Ninja because of her quick reflexes on TikTok, however some have pointed out that there could be a hygiene issue with letting the cat learn to do this.
One commenter said: ‘I will not allow my cat eating my food from me. Bad education.’
Ms Garofalo added: ‘We don’t mind her behaviour, we find it funny. If we have to eat lunch in a hurry she knows if we put her back down on the floor she has to be satisfied with her biscuits.’
Ms Garofalo said Eva doesn’t try to steal her food believing the cat has a stronger bond with her boyfriend