I guess I was about 10 or 12. My mother had gone back to work, and she used to leave me instructions on what to do. It's funny, but although there must have been many times, there's only one I can remember. I came home and read the note about cooking pork chops. The pan to cook them in was there, but no meat. I looked around for a long time without finding them and then happened to look down at the cat's dish. There was the package of pork chops, with a hole chewed in it. I can't remember what I did either--did I go ahead and cook them or throw them out? I wonder if Mom remembers....
There was also a time when the same cat (Fritz!) ran away with an uncooked Crescent Roll. I'd had them all rolled up on a cookie sheet and was waiting to put them in the over. It's a wonder he didn't get sick!