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Sometimes we’re annoyed by our kitties. Clio demands constant attention, wants to be wrapped around your neck, and has razor sharp claws. Also, she’s kinda dumb. Spike is a big sweet fluff-ball who sheds too much and has lethal cat farts. But they’re part of the family and occasionally very useful.
Last summer they killed 7 or 8 rodent-like critters living in our backyard. Once I got over the ick factor of dead things on my patio, I realized how useful that was. They also appeared to have scared away the bunnies that threatened the garden last year.
Yesterday I was on a conference call at work and my cell phone starts to ring. I look at the caller-id, it helpfully blinks HOME. It’s only 3:30pm. I put my call on hold with the explanation that it is unusual my house would be calling me in the middle of the day.
Its Mike. He’s home, he’s not feeling well. Also, there is a tiny dead mouse lying on the cat food tray. Ugh.
While I wrap my conference call up, I google the name of our Pest Control Service that we subscribed to mostly to kill the wasps and ants that plague us in the summer. I call them and explain my situation and tell them to call the house.
I call Mike back and he tells me that Spike has found a 2nd mouse to play with and is currently chasing it through the house. Ugh. I feel queasy. He hangs since Pest Control is on the other line.
By the time A. and I get home, Spike and Clio have killed a 3rd baby mouse. Exterminator lady says they look about a week old. Ugh.
We can’t leave poison (cats and kid), so we put in sticky traps and seal up some areas of the inside and outside that look like potential portals to the house.
We searched the house from top to bottom and found no evidence of mouse infestation. We also mentioned how we cleaned up a huge pile of leaves on the back patio last week. Apparently, we may have disturbed a nest and sent them looking for cover.
Later in the evening Spike found a 4th mouse. He chased it, caught it, carried it around, dropped it, waited for it to move again and repeated.
It made squeaky mouse noises. When I first saw the mouse running for its life across my living room I made a loud squeaky noise.
Finally, we caught the mouse under a plastic cup, tossed the mouse (in a bag), and the cup into the bin. Ugh.
So far this morning and tonight no evidence of more baby mice. The kitties, who seemed to be on permanent patrol last night, have relaxed.
The exterminator told us a couple of important things:
1)Cats ARE smarter than mice. They will catch them and usually kill and eat them or just play with them until the mice are dead. Fortunately, ours are well fed and do not see mice as a food source.
2)Mice are afraid of cats. Mice, when faced with cats will seek less hazardous dwellings. They’re not completely stupid, just not as cunning as cats.

So last night we pulled their bells off to put them into cat stealth-mode. Rodents on our street have been put on notice, the kitties at 925 are out to get you!