A bit ago Charlie and I went out back. He had one os his small balls in his mouth. I put one of his leashes on his collar but didn't hold tight.

When he started down the back stairs Charlie froze halfway down. He looked towards the street and his nose was going like crazy. I nudged him to continue to the yard.

Once he was in the yard off the last stair he dropped his ball and laydown facing towards the back yard. He was on high alert.

The kittens that i know of have NOT made it into our backyard. Charlie was looking into the neighbors yard very intently, and when I tried to urge him up he walked towards J&W's shed but wasn't letting go of his ball. I had the leash loose in my left hand. I urged him to walk into the back yard and then slowly along the path that went west.

When we made it to a turning point -back towards the yard off the back steps, He froze and his nose was going like crazy.

He finally walked with me towards the back stairs slowly. He paused or rather walked slowly until we got to the back steps. He paused, I paused then he walked intently sniffing and listening to the sounds - human, dog and other until we got half way to the street. There were a few cars/trucks but not alot. Standing near my Eastern fence he really looked at J&Ws yard, I think looking for kittens, or the male cat. But nothing. I walked him towards the street (south) and his nose was in rapid intake of smells. He could here some dogs, kids a block or so away. That is nothing new.

This Charlie did in a slow walk as he listened INTENSELY. I wish I could smell what he smells but I had no clue what was bothering him. He would turn his head then body towards the street (South) and freeze and sniff. Then he might turn towards across the street (southeast) and sniff. He then turned towards the EAST and SNIFFED! This took more then five minutes.

He finally turned back to the North to walk back to the back steps. Then he would stop suddenly and freeze and his nose would go into hyper sniff.

He has only just begun to do this new program. The intensity is seriously different. He has had this going on for a while - about as long as the kittens has been next door. Invisible to both of us but the smell bring Charlie to a complete halt. Me also.

There are times when I don't think it is kittens. But some other critter. He buries his nose in the spot where the smell is apparently extremely intense. I am at a loss. The above is a small example of his reactions to the yard.

What do you think?