Tuesday, August 28, 2007

2 cats, 1 fake mouse

My cats have apparently discovered their histrionic sides.

By that I mean they think it’s FUN to freak me out now.

After several days of mouse-free peace in my home, I began to relax a little. Yesterday I even sat on my own couch for the first time in a week.

But two nights ago, as I sat in my arm chair, reading and enjoying a quiet evening, my cats suddenly went all alert and hunter-like in my bedroom. That’s right, in my bedroom, scrambling around under my bed, shoving stored linens and handbags out of the way in haste. I have no idea in haste for what. I was overcome with horror that there was the possibility of a mouse being anywhere near my bedroom, much less under the bed. I went into action (after the initial shrieking, hopping and donning of boots episode). I set a mouse trap under there and cleared out the handbags.

A few hours passed. No mouse in the trap. No more cat interest under the bed.

It was merely a diversion, apparently.

I think my cats have discovered that the answer to boredom is the feline equivalent of crying ‘wolf!’ They just head to a different part of the apartment and start looking for mice. I’ll come running. There will be shrieking and jumping up and down. Flashlights, mousetraps, the whole works. It’s like a little mini melodrama, all for the entertainment of my pets. Its better than any of their toys from PetSmart.

And since at least once in the recent past they’ve been absolutely correct to be on the alert, they know that I will always react this way. Because heaven forfend I should decide they’re just playing on my nerves one night only to discover another real-live mouse dancing around the place…

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