You’d think with a love seat full of cats, I wouldn’t need to buy mousetraps, but not so. It’s true, any critter who ventured out into the house proper would definitely be up for a Darwin Award, but a couple of the kitchen cupboards are accessible from the back (like under the sink, where the pipes come up, and another with some mysterious wiring) with no exit into the room. A couple of winters ago, I trapped what turned out to be a vole under the sink. So when I saw Pearl sitting, staring, frozen in place in front of the stove the other morning, my first
thought was “They’re baaaaack.” So I picked up more traps. I got the cheap ones that are a little trickier to bait. Apparently, someone has invented a “better mousetrap” that is easier to bait, but it’s also a lot more expensive. I don’t like the idea of kill trapping all that much. If the store had stocked live traps, I probably would have paid the extra for those. But without the choice, I got what the ones you see here. I simply won’t share space with mice and their ilk.I left two traps tucked away in two likely spots for two days, but caught nary a thing. That’s the good news, really; the fortress holds. So Pearl’s “false-positive” must be attributed to her being in one of those intense mental spaces that cats go to where we humans can never follow. Anyone who has ever been on staff for a cat knows what I mean.
One more thing about Pearl. Her mother (also pure white) had two different color eyes. When Pearl was born, I wondered if she would, too, but she didn’t inherit that trait. However, one thing I have noticed is that her eyes don’t glow the same color in a photo. Here’s a photo of her up close, with what I call her "Christmas eyes," one glows red and the other green. Very strange, don't you think?.
And while we’re on the subject of weird things about cats, why is it that when cats clean their faces and bend an ear back, they just keep on like nothing’s amiss? Sweeney does that all the time, and it drives me crazy. I say to her, “Eeeu! Can’t you feel that? Give your head a shake; it looks awful! Don’t make me come over there again to flip it back, I just got comfortable on the couch, and CSI Miami is starting…” (no response) So of course, I do.
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13 comments:
cats and mice-sound like a new reality show...lol!
Ha! What a perfect post for a Saturday morning staying home with cats. It really tickled me. I guess the mice will play, whether or not the cats are away.
And, sometimes it feels good to be a tad turned inside out....
Pearl's eyes are interesting... She must have 'some' of her mother's eye traits.
Luckily we don't have mice here (nor cats) --but when we lived on the water in Florida in an old house (while waiting on our new one to be built)--it was full of mice... Drove me CRAZY!!!! I'd hear them during the night. Yuk!!!!
We were thrilled to get out of that old house to say the least...
Have a great weekend--and enjoy your kitties.
Hugs,
Betsy
Poor Sweeney. Maybe that's his style. His "look". Didja ever think of that? And there you go ruining what he spent time getting just right.
Actually, dogs I look after do the same thing [tho' not from grooming]. It always cracks me up.
;-)
Love your cat post, Deb! I haven't had one in a few years, but I had several big orange ones and your posts and pictures about yours always bring back fun memories. Great for a cold, wet, grim Saturday!! Love Pearl's "Christmas eyes"!
Enjoy the rest of your weekend -- all of you! And stay warm!
Sylvia
I love hearing about your cats. We've only ever had one mouse in the house in all 13 years we've lived here. James killed it and dropped his treasure on the kitchen counter where I fill all the cat food bowls. He wanted to give back for all the good food, I'd dished out. When I see a cat staring at a space, its more likely to be a large spider than a rodent. So I tend to freak out when I see that sitting and staring behavior.
That's a fun one. I don't know about the grooming habits of cats....or their disregard for what's on TV.
What delightful companions!
Aloha, Deborah
Comfort Spiral
We had another cat, also called Bubbie, that was all white and his eyes glowed red in the dark or in a flash. No one else seems to think it strange...so glad to hear someone else that recognizes the fact that cats eyes normally glow green.
I had to laugh at your statement about the intense mental space...I had never came up with the phrase but you have given it a proper term. I sure know what you are talking about.
You are so funny- your comments about the cats ear just cracked me up! I like pushing my dogs ears down and seeing how long it takes to shake them back-easily amused here! Love the glowing two color eyes of your beautiful cat! My dog Moo has two different color eyes- :)
Picky, picky. Leave those bent earred cats be.
Do they ever bring in things from outdoors? My friend always looks now, after chasing a small snake around the kitchen.
Love those eyes.
Kinsey's always been a good mouser, but Mr. Wren doesn't like seeing critters killed, even mice. I get to either trap and release or dispose of the body if the trap part doesn't work out in time. K & I make a good team for mouse herding. She chases them, and I put a bag or box in their path et voila!
Love your cat bench. I have never had a cat and do not understand them at all.
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