The cats, suffering a pang of guilt about the meagre contribution that they make to the BW household, (actually I don't think that they suffer from guilt at all but thats another story) or perhaps having picked up the vibes about economising, as we prepare for the financial meteor coming our way when our five year fixed interest rate mortgage comes to an end very soon, decided to make a contribution to the household. They left it on the floor by the back door for me to step on this morning. Luckily I was wearing shoes and luckily they had left it on the stone floor and not on the mat. It was a mouse* or to be precise the bloody remains of half a mouse. They had obviously had problems butchering it, as the floor was covered in blood. I disposed of the mouse and Mrs BW wiped up the blood. Over breakfast we speculated as to whether they had eaten the missing half and decided to share the other half with us, or as they have been known to in the past, stored the missing half somewhere safe. Somewhere where it will putrify nicely until either it is ready for them to eat, just as they like it, or they forget about it and either I or Mrs BW stumble across it on one of our very infrequent spring cleans. A cursory search behind the fridge revealed that it was for the moment mouseless, and none of the likely places i.e their bed revealed so much as a whisker. For the moment the smart money is on them having eaten or disposed of it. I suppose we should be grateful as that is after all what cats are for. That and keeping us amused of course. But somehow I prefer it when they don't bother and the kitchen floor remains a dead mouse (or shrew) free zone.
* The Weasel unhelpfully pointed out that it looked more like a shrew than a mouse. I suggested that she might like to move it for me but she preferred to get a book to prove to me that it was a shrew. I pointed out that with only a tail , the rear legs and a bit of liver and kidney any identification was problematical, and that "Mouse" covered the eventualities. She still insisted that it was a Shrew. We agreed to disagree.
7 comments:
I would tend to agree (sight unseen!) that it is a shrew because when my cat catches mice, she eats them whole. Shrews on the other hand have a scent gland that cats find unpalatable, so she usually starts eating the shrew and then gets grossed out and leaves me the rest...
Jessica - Thanks for the inside information, the Weasel will be pleased.
It wouldn't be so bad if they bought a few cans of beer back with them and set up the BBQ outside
EEEwww! I'm with Kim, why can't they bring you a beer, or a nice flower? Don't you love how they leave their offering on the doorstep, RIGHT were you are most likely to put your foot in it? At least our cats always did.
I like the new banner photo, and all the lovely photos you've put up over the past bit. Is spring really coming on there? That is just no fair - I think it's a ways off here still.
PS - Thank you so much for your comment on my story about the homeless lady. These past few months have been very stressful, but your comment really lifted my spirits. But then you are always kind in that way...
Kim - But then you would come home from Work and find them with their feet up on the sofa having invited a few mates round, its bad enough with teenagers.
Fiwa - Good to hear from you and thanks for the comments. Sorry to hear about the stress. Hope it eases off for you. I wasn't being kind about the story it was a seriously good piece of writing.
Yes, sounds like a shrew.
Trev the "farm" cat seems to be controlling out mice population. We haven't seen any for weeks.
Shrewsbury Town FC are, of course, known as the Shrews - strikes terror into the hearts of visiting opponents.
Malc - So the Weasel was right, good for her. I suppose the lack of mice here must mean that the cats are doing okay.
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