mouse freeLast night Romy (Andromeda Tailtwister Took -- http://www.camillelaguire.com/cats/romy/) a four year old Maine Coon who allows me to live with her brought me a toy. A self-mobile toy.
This happened at about 11 pm. I had been in bed reading at the time, so placement was not optimal. She jumped on and off the bed and started skittering after something on the hardwood floor. I assumed it was the little magenta fuzz toy from earlier in the day but that thing couldn't climb the bookcase and this toy could. OK, a mouse. She has done this before but her record in the past was 50/50 alive/dead. Now I know, that she considers most things not food so I guess the mouse isn't either.
My hand/eye coordination is not as good as my cat's and I failed to capture the mouse. Called a friend for assistance. So now two people chasing a mouse with the assistance of annoyed cat. All failed at recapture but succeeded at multiple dust bunny capture. So it wasn't a complete waste of time. Camille decided to go home and get her HaveAHeart (tm) trap.
When Camille got back we had one more round of "dumb humans chasing mouse" before the trap was baited with peanut butter. Camille left. I went to check my email and heard Romy skittering in the kitchen and got there in time to see mouse head down the cellar stairs with her fuzzness in hot pursuit. Figured this was better than the bedroom and went back to answering email.
About an hour later Romy was back in the bedroom with the mouse. Another round of "catch the mouse" by incompetent hunter human ensued. Mouse now residing in hall closet. I decide it is time to go to bed. Sometime later I sleepily hear the sound of the trap closing. I fall back asleep only to be awoken sometime after by the sound of metallic clashing coming from the kitchen. I just can't deal and go back to sleep.
Morning and I go to survey the crime scene in the kitchen. Romy is apparently a believer in "catch and release" because the trap is sprung and the mouse is no where to be seen. I decide it is time to eat breakfast and go have that meeting with the Department Chair I dislike more than the thought of a mouse somewhere in my house. I re-bait and set the HaveAHeart (tm) and leave.
When I come home no sign of mouse or mouse parts so all at least OK. I consider an image of the mouse in the basement desperately trying to remember how it got in and attempting to reverse the process. One can only hope.
Romy still seems interested in the hall closet but I see no mouse. Move trap to inside of closet rather than outside. Prop door shut with big cans of tomatoes so no more catch and release can happen. Wait about an hour before mouse decides to sample peanut butter. Clunk!
Moved the mouse to the recycle bin outside so it stays in the trap. Mouse will be relocated in the morning.
