History Main / ClassyCatBurglar

* Time Bokan 2000: Kaitou Kiramekiman, one istalment of ''Anime/TimeBokan'', has these as the protagonists, stealing things that will doom the future if not for them.

* ''WesternAnimation/BarbieSpySquad'' has one of these as the main villain, who's eluded every regular agent thus far. She appears to be Barbie's age or younger.

* Nightshade from ''WesternAnimation/COPSAnimatedSeries''.

* [[http://lawcomic.net/guide/?p=440 Mrs. Flavors]] from the conspiracy arc of ''Webcomic/TheIllustratedGuideToLaw''.
** Gets even better when they all get arrested. The FBI agent who's interrogating her says, "Broke out of jail again, did you? [[WorthyOpponent You are amazing]]...The way I see it, everyone else was just your backup. '''You're''' the star of this show."

* Virginia "Gin" Baker (Catherine Zeta-Jones) in ''Film/{{Entrapment}}''.

* ''Film/RedNotice'' has Sarah Black (Creator/GalGadot), who's as skilled in combat and hard to catch as she's [[MsFanservice gorgeous]] and [[ShesGotLegs leggy]] (especially when she wears her [[LadyInRed red dress]]).

** A decade later, Hitchcock directed ''Film/{{Marnie}}'', which is told from the point of view of the Classy Cat-Burglar (Tippi Hedren).

* The ''very'' efficient thief and MasterOfDisguise Masami Hirota [[spoiler: (or better said, Akemi Miyano)]] in ''Manga/DetectiveConan'' is very beautiful and looks ''really'' pretty whether dressed [[LadyInRed in red]] or in white, but she's less traditionally fanservicey than many examples of this trope. Also unlike others, [[spoiler:she didn't act on her own will but as a member of a local evil organization. And when [[DefectorFromDecadence she tried to leave]]... ''they killed her''.]]
** She's more of a [[SubvertedTrope subversion]] in every way -- rather than any of the classic "calling cards" or glamorous museum robberies, she participated in a rather brutal bank robbery.

* The Fox from ''ComicBook/{{Wanted}}''. Actually a subversion, in that while she ''appears'' classy, her personality is very trashy and uncouth.

Either way, Classy Cat Burglars are sophisticated and highly skilled. They target only the finest items (and best-protected) for "liberation", and pride themselves on leaving little or no clue on how they accomplished their burglaries. A fair number of them are independently wealthy and couldn't care less about the money; they just want a good challenge. (Detectives understand that a well-guarded, priceless item is the best bait in the world for these sleek critters). The actual term "cat burglar" comes from the notion that such a person is quiet as a cat (one that never claws its way up the drapes, gets into fights with the dog or [[{{Metaphorgotten}} tears your refrigerator to bits]]).

* The ''very'' efficient thief and MasterOfDisguise Masami Hirota [[spoiler: (or better said, Akemi Miyano)]] in ''Manga/DetectiveConan'' is very beautiful and looks ''really'' pretty whether dressed [[LadyInRed in red]] or in white, but she's less traditionally fanservicey than many examples of this trope. Also unlike others, [[spoiler:she didn't act on her own will, but as a member of a local evil organization. And when [[DefectorFromDecadence she tried to leave]]... ''they killed her''.]]

* ''Franchise/LupinIII'': [[MsFanservice Fujiko]] is an international jewel thief and [[FemmeFatale a seductress]], who's made Interpol's most wanted list. Though [[DependingOnTheWriter her character has undergone multiple iterations]], she's usually portrayed as Lupin's female counterpart, which has naturally placed them at odds with each other. Though they've teamed up just as often and, on occasion, [[DatingCatwoman they've even been lovers.]] She eventually got her own series to showcase her skills: ''Anime/LupinIIITheWomanCalledFujikoMine''.

* Filibus in ''Film/{{Filibus}}'' is a real lady (the Baroness de Troixmonde) who targets high class targets: diamond eyes of an Egyptian cat idol, and an organization called "The International Bank". She steals for the thrill of it, and really enjoys ruining Detective Hardy's life.

* A minor version in ''Film/WhenBrendanMetTrudy''. Trudy is attractive, initially mysterious and seems a capable enough thief, but she is also [[TheLadette extremely uncouth]], working class and definitely in it for the money.

**  In the digest book, ''Maximum Challenge'' Kendra Cassidy (a skilled climber and alarm expert) started out stealing to pay her bills while trying to get a break in Hollywood. Since getting that break, Kendra has been anonymously repaying her victims, but is blackmailed into committing more robberies by a man who knows about her criminal past.
* Kat from ''Literature/HeistSociety'' by Ally Carter is actually named after this trope. The author was inspired by the phrase and decided to write a book about a burglar that was actually a "Kat." Kat mainly steals expensive paintings that are under high security. She also has that moment where all the male characters get distracted from their heist because she looks so drop dead gorgeous.

* Vala Mal Doran of ''Series/StargateSG1'' was something of a failed cat burglar. In addition to failing to steal the Prometheus and a Goa'uld Naquadah bomb, she fails to seduce Daniel Jackson. Repeatedly. And Lt. Col. Mitchell. And Teal'c. But mostly Daniel. Even getting to the point of ''possibly'' stealing a gigantic well-defended armed and heavily populated ship single-handedly is pretty damn cool. If she'd chosen anyone besides Daniel to tie up she probably would have made it. Plus, as she points out, the Goa'uld Naquadah bomb was inside alien technology she'd never seen before and...well...she rushed it. And she did eventually seduce Daniel and discovered he was resisting before because he thought she wasn't as interested in him as he was in her. Plus she's played by Claudia Black, so she's gorgeous.

* Averted with "Macavity the Mystery Cat" in ''Theatre/{{Cats}}''. His introduction provides the page quote for GentlemanThief but on stage he is just a rambunctious bully. (And in the poem the character was based on he averts the trope in a different direction, being a Moriarty expy whose criminal genius lies in never being at the scene of a crime.)

* The Thief units from ''Franchise/{{Disgaea}}'' are a much more brightly coloured than usual version of this. Their clothing consists of a cross between a [[HighlyVisibleNinja brightly coloured]] BlatantBurglar getup and a CatGirl [[StealthPun costume]] (knee high striped socks, cat eyed goggles instead of a mask, cat pawed boots and gloves, etc).

* Sandra from ''VideoGame/LegendOfMana'' presents herself as a classy catburglar specializing in jewel theft, but the truth is much darker. The Jumi race's "cores" are gemstones, and Sandra is collecting Jumi cores. [[spoiler:She doesn't care if the Jumi who's core she's trying to steal is still alive, either.]]

* In ''Webcomic/CaseyAndAndy'', it is eventually revealed that [[spoiler: next door neighbor Jen is an internationally known jewel thief, and this is why Quantum Cop won't date her. It turns out that clues about this go back for years.]]

** Gets even better when they all get arrested. The FBI agent who's interrogating her says, "Broke out of jail again, did you? [[WorthyOpponent You are amazing]]....The way I see it, everyone else was just your backup. '''You're''' the star of this show."

* The devil girl Ciocio Cioelle in ''WebComic/KillSixBillionDemons'' gets a bit of this when she goes back to being a thief to help Allison get into the treasure fortress of Yre. She wears a purple, form-fitting outfit and has long, flowing dark hair. This is specifically when she goes ''back'' to being a thief, because she was very different the last time -- kind of like a nightmarish monster version of the trope.

* Shego in ''WesternAnimation/KimPossible'' is generally seen as a thief when not being employed or being in vacation. In fact, the one episode Kim forgot about crime fighting due to amnesia, Shego spent the episode stealing stuff, instead of taking over the world stuff.

* The word 'gatuno' in portuguese means thief but also derives from the word 'gato' which means cat.

%% Image replaced per Image Pickin' thread: https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/posts.php?discussion=1299357752028021800
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* Train Heartnet from the anime ''Manga/BlackCat'' is an assassin and a rare male example of a criminal with a cat theme. The series title is his alias and he shamelessly sports a fluttering black cloak and a bell on a red string as a necklace.
%%** Also Rinslet, who doesn't have a cat theme but definitely fits all of the main requirements.
* Chiko in ''Manga/TheDaughterOfTwentyFaces'' is one of these in training. She tends to sometimes cross into action girl territory, though.
* The Major pretends to be one of these in ''Anime/GhostInTheShellStandAloneComplex'' episode "Cash Eye", in homage to the above ''Manga/CatsEye'', leaving a similar calling card. The faked heist itself is pure ''Film/OceansEleven''.
* The Gentleman Thief from ''Manga/TheKindaichiCaseFiles''. Her misleading name throws the authorities off her scent initially, as they have no idea the master thief they're looking for in her first appearance is ''a woman''.

* Meimi's mother, Eimi, from ''Manga/KaitouSaintTail'' used to be a thief named Fallen Angel who fit this trope rather well. Her daughter, on the other hand, is [[JustLikeRobinHood more the Robin Hood type]].
* The ''very'' efficient thief and MasterOfDisguise Masami Hirota [[spoiler: (or better said, Akemi Miyano)]] in ''Manga/DetectiveConan'' is very beautiful and looks ''really'' pretty whether dressed [[LadyInRed in red]] or in white, but she's less traditionally fanservicey than many examples of this trope. Also unlike others, [[spoiler:she didn't act on her own will, but as a member of a local evil organization. And when [[DefectorFromDecadence she tried to leave]]... ''they killed her''.]]
** She's more of a [[SubvertedTrope subversion]] in every way - rather than any of the classic "calling cards" or glamorous museum robberies, she participated in a rather brutal bank robbery.

* ComicBook/{{Catwoman}} is perhaps the ultimate incarnation of this trope.

* Maggie the Cat from ''ComicBook/JonSableFreelance''.
* The Fox from ''ComicBook/{{Wanted}}''. Actually a subversion, in that while she ''appears'' classy, her personality is very trashy and uncouth.

* In ''[[ComicBook/AdeleBlancSec Adèle Blanc-Sec]]: Le Mystère des profondeurs'', Georgette Chevillard, who wears a skin-tight black costume that shows off her matronly bulginess, is a parody of this trope.
* Kitsune in ''ComicBook/UsagiYojimbo''. Also her apprentice Kiyoko (who [[FunnyAnimal happens to be a cat]]).
* The Mink from ''ComicBook/SquadronSupreme''.
* She misses the animal theme but this is the ''civilian'' job of Lorelei (little sister of Amora the Enchantress) from ''ComicBook/TheMightyThor'' series of books. She finances her lifestyle by robbing high-end casinos and such with style (SpyCatsuit included). Given that she is also a fairly powerful Asgardian witch she really could do worse, but what for?

* Virginia "Gin" Baker (Catherine Zeta-Jones) in ''Film/{{Entrapment}}''.
** Bonus points for the [[http://www.imdb.com/media/rm3223751168/nm0001876 natural]] CatSmile.
* Maggie Cheung turns into one for a night in ''Film/IrmaVep''.
** Which is based on a French silent film serial called ''Film/LesVampires''. The character of Irma Vep may be the Ur Example.

* Selina Kyle a.k.a. Catwoman (Creator/AnneHathaway) in ''Film/TheDarkKnightRises''.
* Yenicall likes to think she is this in ''Film/TheThieves'', but she is probably a little too trashy to qualify.

* Although she is also a BarbarianHero(ine), Conina from Literature/{{Discworld}}'s ''Literature/{{Sourcery}}'' is a good example of it.

* Sandra Paris, a.k.a. the White Queen, Nick's sometimes rival in the Literature/NickVelvet short stories of Edward D. Hoch.

* Kitai in the second book of ''Literature/CodexAlera''.
* The Literature/InDeath series: Magdalana is presented as this in ''Innocent in Death''. However, it gets subverted when it's revealed that she is a thief and not as classy as she pretends to be, with Roarke pretty much saying so to her face.
* In Creator/MichaelConnelly novel ''Literature/VoidMoon'' Cassie fits this role but is a slightly more realistic version of this character in that she doesn't pull impossible heists, instead focusing on much smaller targets. She and her partner robbed high rollers at a casino before being caught and having her partner killed.
* ''Red Hot and Reckless'', a ''Harlequin Temptations'' RomanceNovel that is the 3rd in a series called "The Bad Girls Club". The lead heroine is Nicole Bennett, a very sexy and clever thief, who often wears leather, [[DatingCatwoman and there's lots of sexual tension with a former cop named Alex]].
* Libby Craddock from ''Texas Kidnappers'' by Creator/JTEdson. Her exact level of classiness depends upon her mood.

* ''Literature/HardyBoys:''
** Charity in the ''Casefiles'', and similarly Fiona Fox in the '88 Super Mysteries crossovers. In each case, the woman in question appears twice throughout the series.
**  In the digest book, ''Maximum Challenge'' Kendra Cassidy (a skilled climber and alarm expert) started out stealing to pay her bills while trying to get a break in Hollywood. Since getting that break, Kendra has been anonymously repaying her victims, but is blackmailed into committing more robberies by a man who knows about her criminal past.

** There were plans for the never-produced season 27 of the classic series for Ace to go to Gallifrey for Time Lord training and be replaced by a heroic cat burglar.

* Ruby from ''VideoGame/BraveSoul''.

* Sandra from ''VideoGame/LegendOfMana'' presents herself as a classy catburglar specializing in jewel theft, but the truth is much darker. The Jumi race's "cores" are gemstones, and Sandra is collecting Jumi cores. [[spoiler:She doesn't care if the Jumi who's core she's trying to steal is still alive, either.]]
* Ms. Mowz from ''VideoGame/PaperMarioTheThousandYearDoor'' is a world-famous badge thief and, ironically, ''[[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin a mouse]]''.
* Zoya from ''VideoGame/{{Trine}}'', who kicks off the main story when she tries to steal the titular artifact.

* Kasumi Goto of ''VideoGame/MassEffect2'', also a PhantomThief.
* The Thief units from ''Franchise/{{Disgaea}}'' are a much more brightly coloured than usual version of this. Their clothing consists of a cross between a [[HighlyVisibleNinja brightly coloured]] BlatantBurglar getup and a CatGirl [[StealthPun costume]] (knee high striped socks, cat eyed goggles instead of a mask, cat pawed boots and gloves, etc).
-->"Mind if I steal your heart? ♥"
* ''VideoGame/MonsterHunter'' has Melynxes. Though not so much classy as cute, but they even have their own "cat's paw" weapon to steal your stuff with.

* [[GratuitousNinja Marino]] from ''VideoGame/MegaManXCommandMission'' is one of these. [[{{Gainaxing}} She's bouncy.]]
* Nabooru from ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaOcarinaOfTime''. She may be a thief, but she won't steal from women and children and she refuses to kill. This trope could apply to all the Gerudo, really.
* You play as one in ''VideoGame/ADanceWithRogues'': a FallenPrincess (as in actual royalty) who is forced by circumstances to embark on a career path of a high-profile thief (as well as sometimes [[HighClassCallGirl courtesan]], sometimes [[ProfessionalKiller assassin]]).
* Cate Archer from ''VideoGame/NoOneLivesForever'' used to be a classy cat burglar before she joined UNITY as a spy. In fact, it was her stealing Bruno's wristwatch from him (a top-class spy in his day) that lead him to ask her to join UNITY. In the PS version, there are flashback levels that allow you to play her when she was a cat burglar.

* ''VideoGame/Persona5'': Ann Takamaki, a PhantomThief in a skin-tight red SpyCatsuit who wears a cat mask over her face and goes by the codename "Panther".
* Surprisingly, one of these shows up in ''VideoGame/LoveNikkiDressUpQueen''. [[spoiler: It's Lisa, the AloofDarkHairedGirl who was introduced as a stage manager; she plans on stealing a legendary and very pricey gown known as the Star Sea.]]

* ''VideoGame/DragonQuestIII'': The [[https://dragon-quest.org/wiki/File:Thief3female.png Female Thief]] wears a form-fitting black catsuit.

* The central character of ''Webcomic/{{Bandette}}'' is this, although as the comic is aimed at a young female audience she's much less sexualised than most examples.
* Hazel in ''Webcomic/SamAndFuzzy'' seems to be pretty much this so far.

* Jeremy Archer from ''Literature/ShadowOfTheTemplar'' is pretty much a [[GenderInvertedTrope male example]] of this trope on top of being a GentlemanThief as well.

* Dana Por from ''WesternAnimation/{{Slugterra}}'' plays this one straight - [[RecycledInSpace but with SLUGS!]] [[spoiler:And a Shadowtech MacGuffin.]]

* Averted with "Macavity the Mystery Cat" in ''Theatre/{{Cats}}''. His introduction provides the page quote for GentlemanThief but on stage he is just a rambunctious bully.

%%* Bela from ''Series/{{Supernatural}}'' Season 3.

* Ashley alias Katnappe from ''WesternAnimation/XiaolinShowdown''.

* Nightshade from ''WesternAnimation/COPSAnimatedSeries''.

* Naughty Kitty from ''WesternAnimation/AtomicPuppet'', who is also a literal cat burglar, as in she steals rare cat breeds. She also does cat-like things sometimes, such as spitting hairballs.

* ''WesternAnimation/BarbieSpySquad'' has one of these as the main villain, who's eluded every regular agent thus far. She appears to be Barbie's age or younger.

* The Cougar from ''WesternAnimation/LeagueOfSuperEvil'', an elderly version who repeatedly hits on the younger League. [[GettingCrapPastTheRadar We'll let you figure out the joke.]]

Walking, talking, ''purring'' class. She doesn't steal; she liberates. She doesn't lie; she fibs. She steals from the rich and gives to... herself usually, but she's so [[SexyCatPerson graceful and easy on the eyes]] that you'll want to let it slide.

Bonus points if [[AnimalMotifs she has a cat theme]], is named "Katherine", "Kitty", or "Felicia", or makes bad feline puns.

* Female [[Literature/MistbornTheOriginalTrilogy Mistborn]] tend to have elements of this, due to mostly be noblewomen in a DeadlyDecadentCourt. The males, of course, fall under GentlemanThief instead.

* A minor version in ''When Brendan Met Trudy''. Trudy is attractive, initially mysterious and seems a capable enough thief, but she is also [[TheLadette extremely uncouth]], working class and definitely in it for the money.

* Hazel in ''Webcomic/SamandFuzzy'' seems to be pretty much this so far.

* ''TheBlonde'', star of series of erotic comics by Italian artist Franco Saudelli.
* In ''[[AdeleBlancSec Adèle Blanc-Sec]]: Le Mystère des profondeurs'', Georgette Chevillard, who wears a skin-tight black costume that shows off her matronly bulginess, is a parody of this trope.

* ''VideoGame/{{Persona 5}}'': Ann Takamaki, a PhantomThief in a skin-tight red SpyCatsuit who wears a cat mask over her face and goes by the codename "Panther".

* Elaine - the protagonist of ''VideoGame/HeistTheCrimeOfTheCentury'' - is a sophisticated and talented thief who pulls off a series of challenging heists.

* ''Manga/CatsEye'' is run on this trope, as the main characters are a trio of Classy Cat-Burgling sisters. They tick nearly all the boxes: showing incredible sophistication, sneaking through even the toughest defenses, wearing [[SpyCatsuit skin-tight jumpsuits]] with [[CombatStilettos built-in high heels,]] leaving a CallingCard even as they give cops the slip, and the hot middle sister is even dating one of the detectives assigned to find them.

* Jeremy Archer from ''Literature/ShadowOfTheTemplar'' is pretty much a RareMaleExample of this trope on top of being a GentlemanThief as well.

Bonus points if [[AnimalSymbolism she has a cat theme]], is named "Katherine", "Kitty", or "Felicia", or makes bad feline puns.

Bonus points if [[SexyCatPerson she has a cat theme]], is named "Katherine", "Kitty", or "Felicia", or makes bad feline puns.

Bonus points if she has a cat theme, is named "Katherine", "Kitty", or "Felicia", or makes bad feline puns.