Whirl, Germany (AHN) -- A Buddhist bank robber's plea to have his cat visit him in jail was turned down by a German court-even with the caveat that the cat is the reincarnation of his mother.

Peter Keonig, 46, doesn't want to spend the five years he was sentenced for armed robberies without seeing his cat, Gisela, England' The Daily Telegraph reported.

He told the court the cat should be allowed to visit him because he's certain she's the reincarnation of his deceased mother. Buddhists believe that people return to the Earth as animals after they die.

In turning down the kitty-plea, the court said they respected religious freedom, but that there's no proof that cat is in fact Keonig's mother reborn, the Telegraph reported.

The court did note he would be able to write the cat, but there's no indication his mother retained her reading skills after transitioning to feline form.

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