Houdini strikes again

Do you recognize the name "Houdini"? According to Wikipedia--

Harry Houdini was a Hungarian-born American stunt performer, noted for his sensational escape acts. He first attracted notice as Handcuff Harry, on a tour of Europe, where he would sensationally challenge different police-forces to try to keep him locked up. This revealed a talent for gimmickry and for audience involvement that would characterise all his work. Soon he was extending his repertoire to include chains, ropes slung from skyscrapers, straitjackets under water, and having to hold his breath inside a sealed milk-can.

In 1904, thousands watched as he tried to escape from a special handcuff commissioned by London's Daily Mirror, keeping them in suspense for an hour. Another stunt saw him buried alive and only just able to claw himself to the surface, emerging in a state of near-breakdown. While many suspected that these escapes were fabricated, it is ironic that Houdini was meanwhile presenting himself as the scourge of fake magicians and spiritualists. As President of the Society of American Magicians, he was keen to uphold professional standards and expose fraudulent artists who gave practitioners a bad name. He was also quick to sue anyone who pirated his own escape-stunts.

 So, Harry Houdini was the master of magic, escape, and performing impossible acts.

What does this have to do with kitties? Yes, they can escape. Yes they can disappear and reappear as if by magic. But what is the greatest trick of all? I'd have to say that it is opening a jar because, unlike us, kitties do not have thumbs.

So....how did he do it?

We have a plastic jar on our kitchen counter that contains dried catnip. We don't use it often; in fact, we rarely touch it (our kitties are so totally insane, we feel that catnip is akin to tossing gasoline on a raging bonfire).

But, let's get back to what happened today. All of the humans in the house were outdoors (enjoying this wonderful Spring weather). The matriarch of our kitty kingdom was in her room, door closed. Therefore, Mr. Pumpkin was allowed to be "out-and-about", free to roam and frolic, and........open the container of catnip?!

Honestly, I can't begin to fathom how he did it. How did he remove a 3-inch diameter lid from a plastic jar?

Suffice it to say, he has been wobbly, grinning ear to ear, and in a state of bliss for most of the afternoon.

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Update - I have swept, vacuumed, and deep-vacuumed the scene of the crime. Three days later it is still the happiest place on earth.