A Game of Cat and Mouse!

No - I'm not being figurative, deep or my otherwise metaphorical self.

Tom and Jerry hi-jacked my first floor this morning and had a very literal game of cat and mouse. Or - it might be more accurate to call it a game of mouse and cat.

Let me back up. Do you remember this cat?


Right - That's Tigger. The king of the castle for years. He would have caught and killed this mouse in record time. Doesn't he just look like a hunter?

How about this little one?

Right. Ms. Sally. She is the sweet girl that put such a ruffle in Tiggers whiskers that he chose to find a new family. But, before he left, Sally followed him everywhere - picking up a few tricks and rodent catching pointers. (notice I said catching, not killing)

And so - this morning - as I groggily shuffled through the kitchen, in the pitch blackness, and heard a rustle in the pantry, I started. Turning on the light revealed Ms. Sally on the TOP SHELF of our pantry. If you recall - it's pretty high.

She turned - I screamed (everyone was still asleep) and she jumped down with A MOUSE in her mouth, suspended by it's thin little tail.

After I partially recovered, visions of my 10 year old self screaming in panic as a snake fell out of the top shelf of the closet in our downstairs bathroom still swimming around me, the kids came down. (remember - I screamed)

Bear's reaction was much like mine, although far less high-pitched. "Eewwww, I don't like mice. I'm going in the other room. Ick - Sally, you're gross."

The Comedian's reaction? Well - I'm guessing you already know - it was HYSTERICAL. Even I, still shaking couldn't contain my laughter. "Oooooo - Mama, there's a mouse! Do you see it? A mouse." Then in a tone with which most use to speak to babies, "Oh Sally, are you playing with a little mouse? She's soooo cute. I want to pet it." And just when I was about to yell out a reason why petting mice isn't reccomended, she exclaimed - "Eeeeee- it just ran across my toes!!!! It is soooo cute!"

The mouse's reaction to all this, just in case you were wondering, was much like The Comedian's analysis. She (how do you tell mice gender apart?) thought it was a big game! And why wouldn't she, for Sally must have missed the final lesson where you KILL the mouse. They were Tom and Jerry in every way. That damned little mouse was smart too!

It looked much like this.

Sally bats at the mouse.

The mouse moves a bit - then stops - dead still.

Sally stares at the mouse.

The mouse stays still.

The mouse moves, twitches really - to bait Sally.

Sally pounces again.

The mouse scurries, then flips onto her back, paws in the air - playing dead.

Sally stares, then paws at the mouse once, twice...

The mouse holds her ground.

On the third time - she finally plays along.

Sally pounces.


And this went on, through breakfast - through teeth brushing, through hair ties and barretts, through backpack packing and boots and coats.


In fact, as we walked out the door. I yelled to DH who had an appointment later in the morning so was enjoying a rare sleep in, "Hooooney - when you get up Sally might need your help. Bear said, "Eeew." The Comedian yelled back towards the door too, "Bye Sally. Bye Mouse. Have a fun day playing.

Oh- do I love my farmhouse built in 1868!