'Catnapping' incident brings similar accusations to forefront

The arrest of one of those couples, Cathy and Michael Minix, has garnered a lot of social media attention from others saying they were also victimized by the two. 

"Thankfully for us, Ohio didn't let her get away with it," Elkhart County resident Melissa Kauffman said. "She's going to have to answer for this. Thank you, karma train." 

An alleged catnapping in Ohio over the weekend put suspects Cathy and Michael Minix behind bars in Elkhart County, awaiting extradition back to the Buckeye State. 

According to the charging document and police narrative from the Berea, Ohio police department, on Oct. 4, the Minixes appeared outside a cat show in Cuyahoga County, allegedly attacked an Indiana couple, and drove off with two Maine Coon show cats, Nimbus and Luna, worth at least $8,000. 

The couple had purchased both cats from the Minixes, who were pulled over and arrested in Elkhart County as they were driving to their Mishawaka home, and both cats were returned to their supposed owners. 

The Minixes allege they were entitled to take one of the cats, Nimbus, saying he wasn't paid for. 

However, ABC57's Annie Kate called the organizer of the cat show in Berea, who did not witness the assault but did see the aftermath, and she tells her the paperwork submitted for both cats showed the couple who had purchased them from the Minixes were the rightful owners. 

ABC57 has not yet successfully contacted the victims in this case. 

However, we received tips about the arrest, including from others claiming to also be victims of the Minixes. 

"This is what she does," Kauffman said, "but she does it because St. Joe County and Elkhart County, they literally will not take animal crimes seriously." 

Melissa Kauffman had a lawsuit against the Minixes, which was settled, and she cannot tell me anything specific about her case because of a non-disclosure agreement.  

"She can't make me stop searching for the horses, the NDA was very clear on that, that we're allowed to continue to search for our horses," Kauffman said.  

She said she's not alone. 

"There are a number of victims who on Facebook have come forward," Kauffman said.  

We've seen those allegations too, including one direct message ABC57 received, claiming Minix sold this woman a horse, and agreed to board the horse while payments were made. After the horse was paid off and the woman tried to move it, she claims, Minix refused to give up the horse and threatened the woman. 

Cathy and Michael Minix are behind bars and will face their charges in Ohio. 

Meanwhile, an animal advocate who does not want to share her name told ABC57's Annie Kate she's looking after the animals Cathy and Michael Minix had in their possession. 

Cathy Minix is the business owner of Daisy Dukes Maine Coons in Mishawaka. That's where the caretaker is looking after all the Maine Coon cats and other animals on premises. She says it's been a "living hell" since the Minixes' arrest; that people have come on property to "save" the animals at Daisy Dukes, but she maintains they are all safe and taken care of, and she also says staff is armed for their protection.