Back in 1947 when I was sitting with Dr. Suzuki Daisetsu, he gave me my first and last koan -- the one about Nansen Fugan's cat. The eminent Zen master Nansen saw two monks quarreling over the animal. He held it up and said that if they could give an answer the cat would be saved -- otherwise not.
Not knowing what to answer, there being no apparent question, they were silent and Nansen cut the cat in two. Later he told another priest about the incident. This person removed a sandal, placed it on his head, and walked off. Nansen then said that had the priest been there the cat would have been spared.
I too came nowhere near a reply to the koan since I did not comprehend that an inquiry was concerned, and it is typical of my disposition that the first and only reaction was a concern for the unfortunate feline.