Calvin Klein's Perfume is an Obsession for Cats

I love the scent of my husband Marty's spicy masculine cologne. I enjoy its heady fragrance that lingers around the house. Even our cats are attracted by the scent. They often follow Marty from room to room, enjoying its aroma and of course, trying o get a much needed belly rub. But it is not only the bouquet of Marty's cologne that is magnetic to our kitties that is interesting. What fascinates me are some of the unusual odors that also attract them. Of course the wafting scent of a turkey or chicken roasting in the oven has to be appealing, but I cannot for the life of me understand their obsession with some of the oddest smells. For instance when my shoulders ache from writing, Marty lovingly massages them with Ben Gay. Like moths drawn to a flame, our two cats bound into the bedroom room. I am instantly besieged with a couple of furry critters, drooling and purring their hearts out, jumping onto my neck. They desperately try to find a way to crawl under my shirt by pawing at the collar, flattening their bodies to squeeze through. It makes me wonder if the liniment is impregnated with catnip. What is even more astounding is their fixation with the bathroom cleanser. The tang of Ajax is obviously irresistible to them. Of course I rinse the bathtub carefully before I allow them into the bathroom to ensure their safety, but it makes no difference. They gleefully leap into the tub; roll violently on the marble texture with great delight, getting a buzz on the remaining vapors However, I was relieved the other day to learn that my curiosity concerning feline olfactory predilections is not unique when I noticed a news item concerning an experiment by Pat Thomas, the general curator for the Wildlife Conservation Society's Bronx Zoo in 2003. Thomas subjected two cheetahs in their habitats with two dozen fragrances to observe their reaction. Zoo keepers have been successful with the big cats by providing a more enriched, entertaining and stimulating environment while confined for long periods of time by spraying varieties of fragrances on toys, brush and rocks. However Thomas' scientific approach was unique by measuring and recording the amount of time it took for the cheetahs to locate each fragrance. Based on the time they spent sniffing and lingering over them, he drew a conclusion about which fragrance was the most appealing. While some may not consider the recently released results of Thomas' experiments to be Earth shattering , he found that Estee Lauder's "Beautiful" and Revlon's "Charlie", while highly appealing to humans, received a paw's down by the Cheetahs. Calvin Klein's "Obsession for Men" fragrance grabbed the big cat's attention for a record-setting 11.1 minutes. Other scientists working in wildlife biology in rain forests and countless zoos began using "Obsession for Men" in their experiments with big cats. But since Calvin Klein never sponsored any of these studies, coupled with the difficulty of obtaining bottles of the $60 high-ticket item, continuous research is at a premium. The Bronx Zoo depends entirely on donations to maintain a supply of cologne that the cats adore. As a result of the findings of this study, I can only imagine that a trend may develop with folks naming cats Calvin. Would you? Leave a comment and let us know.