Cat and Mouse

We have seven cats. We only have one that stays indoors all the time, but all seven of them come in at night, because we have coyotes that roam through our yard. Coyotes consider cats to be delicious. We prefer that our cats not appear on their menu. We also have rabbits and opossums and other small denizens of the woods that enjoy frolicking in our yard at night. Our cats would like to put them on their menu. Too often we have had to take a baby rabbit or ground squirrel out of the jaws of our feline predators because, although they are well-fed, they do like to hunt.

We have seven cats. We have seven cats who like to hunt. We have seven cast who like to hunt who stay in our house all night. That is why it amazes me that we have a mouse problem. Yes, you read that right. I walked into our kitchen the other night just as a little mouse head poked up from the burner of our electric range. He travels through the range at will. I don't know how he knows to abandon ship before he gets singed or baked, but he does. I am finding mouse droppings in all my kitchen drawers and in the storage compartment under the oven and in our lower cabinets. I have to wash every dish and utensil that is stored before we use it. I am at my wit's end.

I think our inside cat, Isabel, is protecting her mouse friend. She goes on duty every night after supper. She sits on the counter and regards the stove top intently. She will not desert her post. I think she gives her little buddy safe escort from the stove to the cat food dish. I have seen her just sit and watch bemusedly while the mouse scampers about. She will "accidentally" get in the way of the other cats if she discovers them in pursuit of her friend. She is smitten, this kitten.

I don't know how to break it to her that her friend is going to move. We have ordered some humane, no-kill mouse traps and intend to relocate the little rodent person to the great outdoors. We cannot bring ourselves to kill it, but this is not a relationship that we wish to continue. Isabel is going to be deeply unhappy with this turn of events. Perhaps, if we tell her that the other cats are organizing a serious mouse hunt, she will see the wisdom in our decision. I foresee some lonely nights ahead for her. I will just have to hold her paw while she watches some old Tom and Jerry episodes.