Cat Scent

Several years ago we enrolled Dieter in a nose works class. He and his cousin Tessa were in the class together. Dieter did well,  but seemed more interested in schmoozing. He’d search  a little, and then go  give kisses to the human onlookers. Then he’s search some more, find some toys, search some more, and then see his reflection in the classroom mirror and go and admire himself.  He always had everyone laughing. He might also have doggie ADHD; or as we say: "I'm Dieter. I have AD...oh look. A butterfly!"

Now Tessa has gone on in her studies and has passed several ORTs (odor recognition tests). I just found an old email from her “mom”—my cousin—where she told me that Tessa had passed the anise ORT (the first level a dog must pass is the birch scent, then anise, then clove).

Yes, that is very impressive what Tessa has done. But Dieter has done something she hasn’t: he passed the Rory ORT.

Rory is Rory the cat. The more timid of the 2 ferals that live with us. His mom, Mimsy, showed up like always for dinner, but no Rory. Then the following morning, still no Rory. He has been known to tip toe through the cat gate and into the kitchen when he knows Dieter is outside. It’s a cat defiant streak I think: “This kitchen used to be mine before that four-legged barking machine came to stay.” Evidently that happened and then he dashed to the basement when Dieter came back inside. And once a guy is in the basement, how is he supposed to get back out and past the dog?

But at that point we didn’t know where Rory was. We went through closets, looked behind bookshelves, under beds, etc. No Rory.

Hope that cat goes missing again so I can get
more ice cream

Finally we sent Dieter on the hunt and he poked around upstairs: “No cat here, mom.” So we headed him to the basement. Lloyd said “Find Rory,” and Dieter immediately pointed him out--hiding in an old record cabinet. That cabinet used to be Brilly the cat's hideout when Lloyd's kids would come over—it’s a good, safe place to be when a guy or gal wants to be all inconspicuous and left alone!

Hours later, Rory finally emerged – It only required taking Dieter on a long walk and taking him to the back yard to help me with yardwork until the cat figured he could make a break for it. And in typical cat fashion, Rory acted all nonchalant. “Oh, hi. Were you looking for me?”  

In recognition of a job well done in cat-finding nose works, Dieter received some peanut butter dog ice cream. Served in a cat bowl. Anyone can identify anise, but only the very special can identify Rory. Good job, buddy!