Homemade Cookie Day
I would like to begin by saying I am innocent.
That is what every innocent kitty says at the start of an investigation. It does not mean I was anywhere near the kitchen. It certainly does not mean the crumb on my whisker was a cookie crumb. Whiskers collect things. It is science.
The clues
This morning, Mrs. Higgins placed a plate of warm cookies on the counter. Then she turned around for what humans call “one tiny second.” When she looked back, one cookie was missing. Suspicious? Very. I immediately began gathering evidence.
Clue number one: a trail of crumbs led away from the plate. Clue number two: Max was looking at me. Clue number three: Oliver was looking at Max. Clue number four: Penelope was looking down from the windowsill, which is exactly where a witness who knows too much would sit.
Interviewing the suspects
I asked Max where he had been. He said, “Right here.” Not very imaginative. Oliver claimed he had been counting acorns. Penelope said she saw a flash of orange fur near the cookie jar. This could describe many cats. Well, perhaps not many cats in Mrs. Higgins’s kitchen, but that is not the point.
The surprising ending
At last, Mrs. Higgins laughed and held up the missing cookie. She had moved it to a cooling rack. There had been no crime at all! I was relieved. Max was relieved. Oliver stopped counting acorns. Penelope continued looking suspiciously pleased with herself.
Then Mrs. Higgins noticed the crumb on my whisker. I explained the science. She was not convinced.
Tyson’s pawspective
A good mystery is even better when everyone gets to help solve it. Look carefully, ask questions and never jump to conclusions—especially conclusions involving an innocent cat.
Family fun: Make a cookie mystery
Hide a paper “cookie” somewhere in the room. Leave three safe clues leading to it. Take turns being the detective. Find the paper Cookie and switch it for a real homemade one.
Grown-ups: if you bake real cookies afterward, as much as I would want to eat one please keep them safely away from pets.
“Until next time — keep your whiskers clean and make more cookies! ”
