The title is not a British conservative commenting on the recent Nobel prize winner. It’s the literal interpretation. Therefore I must apologize for the juxtaposition of this blog entry with the previous one, but I won’t provide pictures so you have the opportunity to click away now if you are the squeamish type.
So our cats are becoming increasingly competent in catching mice and various other creatures of similar size. Unfortunately, they hadn’t quite learned what to do with said captives, so they usually deliver them to us still fully operational. I am forced to re-catch and dispatch the rodent myself with the cats looking on with only the slightest curiosity.
Not today…
Today K stops me while I’m mowing the lawn and informs me that (last chance!!) there are mouse entrails in the upstairs hallway. My brain processes this as “How does she know they’re mouse… wait, did she say entrails?”
Yes, unfortunately, she did, and apparently there are the makings of a CSI field day all over the nursery floor. I am notified that it is my duty* to find the carcass and remove it.
So I finish mowing the lawn and report to the crime scene. Did you know that rodent intestines look a lot like earthworms? Well, except for the segments (on the earthworms) and thankfully, intestines don’t squirm.
All around the perimeter of the room are the signs of an epic struggle, cat prints and rodent prints mixing it up in the poor critters leaked life. Finally, I track the battle to the closet, where under Nate’s infant tub is a slightly inside out chipmunk. Unfortunately the poor critter is still breathing, so I’m forced to do the merciful thing before removing the body.
K is even now mopping the floor.
The alleged perpetrators are outside** in their usual spots, staring at the high grass.
June 21st, 2008 at 4:53 pm
Boy, this post reminds me of growing up with cats in a rural area. Don’t worry - the best is yet to come. Just wait until you experience the joy of trying to get your cats to swallow their worm pills.
June 21st, 2008 at 6:47 pm
Oh, I have plenty of experience “pilling” the cat.
June 22nd, 2008 at 11:28 am
Dottie used to leave intact carcasses lying all around, but has since (a year or so ago) decided critters are tasty. So now we just find the dark red juicy bits lying around. Even Matthew and Emily have now become completely sanguine (pardon the pun) about grabbing a paper towel and dispensing with whatever they find on the carpeting. Birds are the worst…somehow the number of feathers on a bird expands to immense proportions when they’re removed from the bird. Last week my basement looked like two sparrows had simply exploded (Remember that TV commercial about pets shedding where the very fluffy cat sneezes and sends fur flying everywhere? Like that.).
Anyway, on your behalf … Eeew.