Rudolph Macey’s family thought neighborhood kids were playing the ‘doorbell ditch’: His doorbell rang, and nobody was there. But if they had looked down, they might have seen their cat, Licorice, slipping inside. The mystery was solved when Mr. Macey looked up from yard work and watched Licorice jump up on the porch railing, butt the doorbell with her head, and then jump down, waiting for the door to open.
‘It’s hard to believe, but I saw it happen with my own eyes,’ he said at the time.
In this May 1975 series of photos, Licorice demonstrated her technique, scooting in when Mr. Macey opened the door.
Toledo Zoo director Philip C. Skeldon said at the time the chances a cat would teach itself that trick accidentally was a ‘million-to-one shot.’ Licorice didn’t teach the trick to fellow furry family members, however. Cat Ebony and dog Tippy continued to meow and bark to be let in.
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First Published May 22, 2023, 10:00 a.m.