Cat burglar! Super-smart puss swings on handle to open door and let his friends indoors

 Getting locked out of the house is one of life's frustrations, especially when the creature comforts of home are within touching distance.

But while humans might ring the doorbell or call for assistance, one clever kitty took matters into his own paws.

Silvestro, a 'super-smart' cat, leapt into action when he and his fellow moggies were stuck outside their front door in Caltanissetta in Sicily, Italy. 

Footage shows the black and white cat jump up to grab the door handle. He then swings on it to open the door, before coolly leading the rest of his gang over the threshold.It is the latest kitty adventure to be shared on Tiktok by owner Antonio Bosco, 57, who shares his country home with his mother and 25 cats. 

Mr Bosco said: 'We had up to a month ago 24 cats but recently a Siamese stray cat added herself to our clowder of cats making it a 25-strong cat army.

'Silvestro the smart cat is also the undisputed leader and protector of our cats. 

'On occasion, our neighbours' cats will try to fight our cats. So that's when Silvestro intervenes and fends them off, many times he comes back with bruises or bites. 

Sylvestro was filmed leaping into action to open the door while his curious feline friends watched on

'He's a real hero, hence we sometimes sing rather than call his nickname which is "Kungu l'eroe" - a mix of King Kong and hero. 

'Silvestro understands when he's done something special and knows he'll receive extra caresses on his head. I lift him up and rock him like a baby, followed by a treat, consisting of a chicken turkey sausage.

'He is very observant and notices immediately if something is not right with you. He honestly feels at times like a best friend with who you can confide. 

'My mother in particular speaks a lot to our cats and Silvestro listens and speaks back. I doubt they understand each other perfectly but it's the communication effort that matters!'

Despite Silvestro's warrior attitude, Mr Bosco says that he is 'incredibly kind and sweet with us at all times'. 

He added: 'That said, on the occasion when I fall asleep and I forget to let him out at night, he'll miaow until I wake up and let him out.'

It turns out Silvestro is not the only smart cat in the house and one of his friends 'Youppie Fatass' - the last cat seen entering the doorway in the video -  has a habit of peeing in the toilet. 

Mr Bosco's videos have earned him 3.5m likes on TikTok, where he has 87,000 followers.Last November, the software engineer found he had become a viral sensation after sharing a video of his felines seamlessly rushing through a single cat flap in order to be fed. 

Mr Bosco said he had inserted the cat flap because if he left the door open, stray dogs would run in and eat all of the cats' food.

His house has two kitchens - one of them just for the cats. It has a heater for the cold winter months and 14 cushions so they can all snuggle up together.

Mr Bosco went on to say to a fan of his video, 'All cats are domesticated, neutered, [have] monthly antiparasite spray and plenty of food.'

He added: 'They all are my pets. They not only stay outside most of the day but also sleep indoors where we provide a heater to keep them warm during winter.

'In addition, we let them in occasionally but they generally prefer to stay outdoors because we are usually outdoors doing something in the garden.

'Wherever we go they always follow us.'