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Conference misery::feline

Title:Meower Power - Where Differing Opinions are Respected
Notice:purrrrr...
Moderator:JULIET::CORDES_JA
Created:Wed Nov 13 1991
Last Modified:Fri Jun 06 1997
Last Successful Update:Fri Jun 06 1997
Number of topics:1079
Total number of notes:28858

891.0. "A Mousing Story" by PINION::PEDERSON () Thu May 25 1995 11:47

    In the middle of last night, I woke up to the sound of my (2) cats
    walking loudly.  They usually walk like this when they are playing
    and stalking one another.  After a minute or so, I heard a scuffle.
    Then, one started growling.  At this point, I put on the light - and
    one of my cats (Pooh) had a mouse in her mouth.  She was sitting on
    my bureau.  The other was just watching her.  I went over to her, and
    she jumped down and went down stairs.  
    
    I thought "what shall I do?" (Actually, this is the question of this
    note.)  I thought of picking her up and shaking her outside so that
    she would let go of the mouse - but this cat is kind of skittish and
    I'm sure would be doubley skittish with a mouse in her mouth.  I
    abandoned that idea, because the thought of a mouse (which I was not
    sure was dead or alive) falling (or crawling) on me and Pooh scratching
    me in her fright did not appeal to me.  I thought of shooing Pooh
    outside - but it was raining pretty hard - and I didn't want her
    running around getting wet. 
    
    Anyways, Pooh ran upstairs, again.  Max (my other cat - who seemed to
    have conceded to Pooh's mousing victory) and I followed her.  But,
    I did not want her upstairs.  Therefore, I shooed her (and her
    treasure) back downstairs.  
    
    Finally, the best idea I could come up with at that early hour, was to
    shut her in a room by herself - therefore containing her and her mouse.
    
    This morning there was no sign of the mouse, and Pooh was fine.
    
    I wonder what anyone else would have done with the cat and/or the
    mouse?
    
    
T.RTitleUserPersonal
Name
DateLines
891.1let me sleep, guys!DELNI::PROVENCHERThu May 25 1995 19:114
    In the middle of the night?!  Not much!
    I have a shy cat named Pooh too, and a fat cat named Max!
    
    
891.2it can be doneGRANPA::JBOBBJanet Bobb dtn:339-5755Fri May 26 1995 13:1425
    Over the past 10 years and several cats - we've had a few "mouse in the
    mouth" episodes. Usually Jeff will take the kitty outside and pry open
    it's mouth so the mouse can get away. Most of the time, the mouse makes
    a beeline for the grass/woods. 
    
    It all depends on if your cats do serious damage to the mouse. Ours
    don't. It's just another toy to them, so most of the time, other than
    being slobbered on, the mice have been fine (or at least from what we
    could see, they looked fine). 
    
    Even though the cat was growling very loudly (something this cat never
    does), they've never reacted badly towards us when we try to de-mouse
    them. Of course, you're milage may vary depending on your kitty. But
    then, even when our kitties are fighting enough to make fur go in all
    directions - I'll wade in and separate them (I always realize how dumb
    this is later, but then go ahead and do it the next time) and they very
    rarely react to that either other than major growling. Don't get me
    wrong, there are other times when we get major scratches, but somehow,
    when they are fighting with each other, they don't take it out on
    us.....
    
    Don't you love waking up and having a cat with mouse-in-mouth staring
    back at you!!! YUCK!!!
    
    janetb.