History Main / ClassyCatBurglar

* ''[[WesternAnimation/CarmenSandiego]]'' has become a less confident ClassicalAntiHero as of the 2019 animated series, but in return we get Tigress as a straighter example. She's a thief being trained by V.I.L.E. alongside Carmen, wears a catsuit and uses claws as her main weapon, and has the typical femme fatale personality.

* ''Series/MidsomerMurders'': In "The Creeper", the B-plot (which is tangentially related to the murders) concerns a burglar known as the Creeper who has been robbing wealthy country homes, including that of the Chief Constable. When Barnaby finally identifies the Creeper, it turns out to be this trope.

* Virginia "Gin" Baker (Creator/CatherineZetaJones) in ''Film/{{Entrapment}}''.
** Bonus points for the [[http://www.imdb.com/media/rm3223751168/nm0001876 natural]] CatSmile.

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 [[MsFanservice graceful and easy on the eyes]] that you'll want to let it slide.

When TheHero first meets her, on a rooftop or a darkened bedroom, he'll be paralyzed with indecision -- should he arrest her or ask for her number? This dilemma is usually short, as she takes advantage of his distraction to escape/knock him out.

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]]).

Like her [[DistaffCounterpart spear counterpart]] the GentlemanThief, this felonious feline usually regards the police with a certain amount of disdain and condescension, and frequently leaves behind [[CallingCard "calling cards"]] announcing who performed the crime. With a WorthyOpponent, she may have a less adversarial relationship, verging at times on friendship. If the opponent is of the opposite gender (or [[LesYay not]]) this may be fraught with FoeRomanceSubtext.

Compare PhantomThief. If the hero is very, very (un?)lucky, may result in DatingCatwoman.

%%* The ''Series/{{Castle}}'' ep "Eye of the Beholder" gives us a "reformed" one in Serena Kaye (note the nominal resemblance to [[ComicBook/{{Catwoman}} Selina Kyle]]).

* The ''TabletopGame/MagicTheGathering'' card lineup ''Commander Legend: Battle for Baldur's Gate'' set in the ''TabletopGame/ForgottenRealms'' universe has the "Patron of the Arts" card. The [[https://static.wikia.nocookie.net/forgottenrealms/images/5/58/Patron_of_the_Arts_CLB.jpg/revision/latest?cb=20220529111337 artwork]] depicts a [[DraconicHumanoid dragonborn]] woman in a pretty [[PinkMeansFeminine pink]] dress cheerfully running off with a painting from an art gallery while tossing a coin back to an exasperated curator. The FlavorText has her say "It's okay. [[ScrewTheRulesIHaveConnections My mother owns the museum]]."

* Kitty Softpaws from ''WesternAnimation/PussInBoots''. She is also literally a cat.

* In ''ComicBook/TheFurtherAdventuresOfIndianaJones'' #32, Indy gets outfoxed by Amanda Knight, a British classy car burglar hired to steal a Sumerian clay tablet from his museum.

* Cassandra Cat of ComicStrip/SlylockFox is an actual anthropomorphic cat with a classy, seductive image, who often performs daring burglaries, though she also does other kinds of crimes.

* The thief in ''WesternAnimation/BarbieSpySquad'' is one, down to wearing a cat-eared headband in her mission outfit.

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

* The ''TabletopGame/MagicTheGathering'' card lineup ''Commander Legend: Battle for Baldur's Gate'' set in the ''TabletopGame/ForgottenRealms'' universe has the "Patron of the Arts" card. The [[https://static.wikia.nocookie.net/forgottenrealms/images/5/58/Patron_of_the_Arts_CLB.jpg/revision/latest?cb=20220529111337 artwork]] depicts a [[DraconicHumanoid dragonborn]] woman in a pretty [[PinkMeansFeminine pink]] dress cheerfully running off with a painting from an art gallery while tossing a coin back to an exasperated curator. The FlavorText has her say "It's okay. [[ScrewTheRuleIHaveConnections My mother owns the museum]]."

* Rouge the Bat from the ''VideoGame/SonicTheHedgehog'' series. [[ShoutOut Intentionally modeled on Batman and Catwoman.]]

* [[GratuitousNinja Marino]] from ''VideoGame/MegaManXCommandMission'' is one of these. [[{{Gainaxing}} She's bouncy.]]

* The Mink from ''ComicBook/SquadronSupreme'' is an heiress who tutned to theft out of RichBoredom and the belief her richness entitled her. Thankfuilly, her relationship with Nighthawk changes her.

[[folder:Real Life]]
* The word 'gatuno' in Portuguese means thief but also derives from the word 'gato' which means cat.
[[/folder]]

* ''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]]).

* Psiren in [[Anime/FullmetalAlchemist the 2003 anime version]] of ''Manga/FullmetalAlchemist''. Additionally, she has to pull down a zipper on her suit to reveal her transmutation circle just above her chest. Note that her actions are ''praised'' by the locals as the place that the episode takes place in is doomed and all the publicity is revitalizing the town.

* Felicia Hardy, Marvel's ComicBook/BlackCat, also plays up this theme.

* The Mink from ''ComicBook/SquadronSupreme''.

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

%%* Gwen Raiden in ''Series/{{Angel}}'' gets bonus points for pure class and a [[ShockAndAwe ''shocking'']] [[{{Pun}} personality]].

* Katherine "Kat" Hillard of ''Series/MightyMorphinPowerRangers'' was more of a [[MindControl Mind Controlled]] [[TheMole Mole]] than thief when she first appeared, but besides transforming into a cat and a cat ''monster'', she was pretty classy.

[[quoteright:233:[[ComicBook/BlackCat https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/theblackcat_5518.jpg]]]]

Like her [[DistaffCounterpart spear counterpart]] the GentlemanThief, this felonious feline usually regards the police with a certain amount of disdain and condescension, and frequently leaves behind [[CallingCard "calling cards"]] announcing who performed the crime. With a WorthyOpponent, she may have a less adversarial relationship, verging at times on friendship. If the opponent is of [[FoeYay the opposite gender]] (or [[LesYay not]]) this may be fraught with FoeRomanceSubtext.

%%* Gwen Raiden in ''Series/{{Angel}}'' gets bonus points for pure class and a [[ShockAndAwe ''shocking'']] [[IncrediblyLamePun personality]].