A Mouse Story...

I got to work..

Checked work email.. Drafting a reply to a project I was working on..

Got My coffee..

No voicemails..

No urgent matters..

Life was good..

(Phone rings)

"Hello??" I say..

"Real Mouse! Real Mouse! Real Mouse! Real Mouse!" in rapid, frantic, emotional succession..

I pause a second, then look up from My desk onto the pictures on My wall..

Now.. I don't want to make fun of My girl and her heightened phobia of the little furballs - but in a matter of two questions I realized that the situation was currently on pause and that there would be some greater need and attention that needed to be addressed ... *real soon*

I was able to make a number of deductions though:

-I do know though that the cats were very likely making every attempt to get the mouse when the opportunity first presented itself..
-I know that their reaction was hindered by a very loud piercing shriek that probably came from My hysterical girl..
-Furthermore, as I know My girl, if there was a live rodent who appeared unexpectedly, suddenly and within a 100 yards, the noise that would've emanated from her lungs would've been risen beyond the level of a noisy jackhammer breaking concrete apart..

-Having worked this situation out in My head - I quickly figured that with the sudden shrieking would've frozen My two pussies in their attack of the intruder ...... thus aiding and abetting the little furball's escape..
-Then I rationalized that at that particular instance, the mouse probably quickly re-discovered whatever hiding hole it found was beyond My pussies reach and capability..

Lastly, I also knew that this little nugget of information was not going to help My girl calm down any and My presence was going to be respectfully called upon to return home at My earliest convenience -- preferably.... NOW!!!!!

So......

I finished My email, grabbed My coat, keys and wallet - then explained to one of My bosses what was going on before I dashed out the door.. I made it home in pretty short time -- but as one can imagine, that was probably very relative depending on whether or not one has shrieked within the last 5-10 minutes or not..

I carefully opened the door not quite sure what to expect..

I'm first greeted by My boy cat -- tail at least two times larger than what is normal.. Very skittish, upset look, very panicked, very stressed..

I then looked into the bedroom to find My girl sitting in the middle of the bed with a death-lock embrace of the bedroom phone.... Old and new tears drawing down her cheeks with a very obvious expression of gratitude of My arrival..

My girl cat was sniffing the hell out of the floor in the kitchen in almost a determined, frantic "gotta find 'em" mode..

As I surmised - the immediate episode was on a temporary hold, now I had to work on damage control and prevention.. I calmly told My girl what we had to do - and sent her to the shower since it could be a "Psycho" mouse or something.. An Anthony Perkins with mouse ears maybe....

I promised to stand guard and I began a systematic investigation of the crime scene..... I saw traces of the rodent and we began piecing together the likeliest of scenarios.. As much as we can figure out, the intruder came into the house sometime in November.. Figuring My cats were being a little crazy -- were quickly dismissed as their odd behavior in the kitchen as being playful or some other dementia....

It's now believed that they heard, saw or sensed whenever the intruder made its journey under the stove.... The mystery heightened after our return from Denver -- as both cats were particularly interested in our pantry.... They were interested for good reason: we believe that they trapped the intruder in there for the last week.. The droppings supported a lengthy habitation..

Clearing other areas of the kitchen, I've all but isolated the area we believed the furball is.. Anticipating that he/she is remaining in hiding until the coast gets a bit more clear -- I ventured out to the local hardware store for some traps..

As I went to pay for them, the clerk went: "how's your da.. Oh.."

I had to chuckle and go "um, yeah.."

I returned to find My girl stowed away in the computer room - and having no desire to return to the kitchen area until the little bugger is caught.. I got 4 traps total -- loaded three of them -- set them in the places I believed our little friend was going to show up.. The bait?? Peanut butter on two of them, a piece of Swiss cheese on the other..

After returning My girl to a smaller state of paranoia - having a quick bite to eat -- I returned to work to finish off My day..

(skip ahead, skip ahead, skip ahead...)

So all was tolerable for the remainder of the day - I return home and ask My girl how it was going.. I then went to check on the traps -- none of them were sprung .... and the Swiss cheese was now missing..

Clever little bugger..

I loaded another piece of Swiss cheese along with a hearty backslab of peanut butter otherwise solidifying the cheese to the trap..

So..

We wait..

(click here for her version of what happened...)

(note: phobias are very real - as much as I have fun with My version of what transpired, let's not forget that deep seeded fear shouldn't be quickly dismissed, ridiculed, or otherwise seemingly "whatever.." Anyone facing a phobia as what danae did this morning is particularly horrifying and scary.. Approaching someone reacting in total fear can be difficult - but be calm, be understanding, be solid and don't overreact.. Jokes may lighten the mood, but let's not make a complete mockery of the fear..)