Last night the cat brought in a mouse. I mean, she’s 16 years old, apparently the equivalent of around 80 in human years and she brings in a mouse. We managed to dispossess her of said mouse, which left us with a problem i.e. the mouse.
Titch
Our lockdown rules are quite strict. We are only allowed out for buying groceries, visiting the doctor (if they want to see you. I have an eye infection and only got to talk to the doctor over the phone.) or if you are essential services. Mouse disposal isn’t covered. The nearest piece of open ground where I normally release whatever Titch brings home is about a five minute walk away. Did I mention that people aren’t allowed to go for a walk or jog?
These stirring events took place at around 9 pm. So my husband – who was worried about me going out alone – and I go sneaking out of the gate, carrying a brightly decorated, Christmas themed tin. (What can I say. It’s long and narrow. Mice think it’s a place to hide. Makes catching them MUCH easier.)
Mouse Catching Equipment
There’s not supposed to be anyone walking around anytime, never mind 9 at night. Of course, what we’re hoping is that no dogs start barking. If someone looks out and sees two shadowy figures, we have a good chance they could call the police and then it would be ‘please explain’.
Of course, a dog did start barking. And then another joined the chorus, and another… How do burglars get away with it? Here’s the two of us, trying to walk quickly and quietly while the barking gets louder and louder.
We released the mouse and got home safely, without being hauled off to the cop shop. I don’t think I will become a criminal. I haven’t the nerves for it.
The ‘no walking’ thing is getting to me. I normally walk for about an hour most days and it’s a ‘calm down and think thoughts’ time for me. Three days into lockdown and I was going stir crazy. Then I started walking. Around the garden. Now, we don’t have a big garden, and you can’t walk around the house. There is the garage and a couple of walls in the way. So I walk around the back yard, through the side gate and around the front yard. Kind of like a wonky figure 8. And repeat. Around 200 steps. It’s killing the grass (quite literally – there is a path forming) but keeping me sane.
Now all I need to do is figure out how to discourage the cat from bringing in any more mice…
notewords 
The Great Breakout to release mouse while cat life goes on as normal, if nothing else does 🙂 The ‘new path’ syndrome is happening in our 25 step round garden too as I march, changing direction when the rhythm takes me, around our new rasied bed. Keep up the walking, and that’s an excellent mouse trap!
The Great Breakout. I like that!
Gotta do what you gotta do… 😉
😀
The Mouse Release story was epic 😉 At first, I thought your cat killed it, and you put it in the box as if it was a coffin to bury it which made it even more hilarious!
In Ireland, we are told to stay within 2 km from home, and we are encouraged to exercise outdoors within this radius, as long as we keep the distance and follow other security measures. It’s funny how suddenly everyone in the neighbourhood is super active and sporty (me too!), but I have to admit, they follow the rules and avoid getting close to other runners.
Keep walking, even if it’s only around the garden!
Hilarious? Not fraught with drama and suspense with an orchestra going Dah-dah-DUM in the background?
Glad you got a giggle out of it! 😉
The walking will continue. I may publish a photograph of my stripy garden at some point…
Good kitty! Perhaps we are odd, but we let the dog or cat kill the mice and then we throw them out in the back 40 where I assume carrion birds clean them up. Most of the time we just get presented with the dead mice, and it’s seldom a spectator sport. We are gifted with a few each winter. Although, this winter we had none, perhaps because it was a warmer one.
I feel for you not being able to walk! We can walk up and down our street — it’s a nice dead end street. I see people walking quite a bit. I think we need that, maybe now more than before, since we’re not going to the gym, visiting parks, or walking the expanse of the malls. Wear out your garden, I’m sure it’s good for you.
Did you hear about the veteran who is walking his garden every day to raise money for the NHS? He’s to be 100 at the end of the month. Probably ruining his lawn, but oh, what a great walk! 🙂
I’m a wuss. If it’s alive when she brings it in, we let it go. Faaar from the house.
I hope you don’t have any more during lockdown 🙂
Me too… 😉
I am impressed that your 16 yr old cat caught a mouse 🙂 Sorry you aren’t allowed to go for walks. I live in Massachusetts and we are supposed to only go for groceries, etc like you, but we can go for walks-just need to stay 6 feet from others.
I think they just locked us down as hard as they could. Alcohol and cigarettes are also banned, even take-aways.
Wow – that is a strict lockdown! That has to be tough, but glad you made it out to release the mouse and back with no incidents 🙂
Otherwise I would have had to post asking for a cake with a file in it… 😉
🙂