Found out there are two dogs on the same floor as my apartment - pair of what are probably small Yorkshire terriers. (Yappy dogs in any case.) They were out in the hall with their owner when I took the recycling to the trash room.

Both started barking at me and came over to sniff at me and act brave. So I stood there and let them look me over while I talked to the owner. One kept circling and barking while the other quieted down pretty quickly.

And then, of course, when I went back to the apartment, the cats bolted out to see what all the fuss was about. I stayed out of sight in order to not set the dogs off. The one cat stayed back near me, bu the other went to the corner to look down the hall. He then sat there and apparently just watched the dogs.

I think they eventually noticed him as well and came over to sniff at him. No barking, and he tensed but didn’t run. I think he sniffed noses with one of the dogs (couldn’t tell for certain since I was remaining out of it unless it got noisy or the cat got ready to violently retaliate.)

Soon after the dogs went into their apartment and I fetched the cat to bring him in for dinner. That does explain that both cats “patrol” to the far end of the floor when they are out - can probably smell the dogs.