Cooperative Living February 2019 - 42

Two Tales: Of Mice and Cats
Rural Living | by Margo Oxendine, Contributing Columnist
T
here are two things I can't get out
of my mind. One is horrid, the
other a miracle of sorts.
Let's get the horror out of the way first.
As winter began, an army of mice
moved into my house. I've had a
mouse or two, sure; but, this was way
more than a couple of the cute but
unwelcome visitors.
One night, I did battle with a
determined critter for half the night. He
was fearless. He darted across the sitting
room floor, in between bookshelves,
right up on the table beside me, even
perched for a moment atop the plug
for the TV. He hurried and scurried.
I grabbed one of those nifty traps that
the mouse goes into for a treat, and then
it snaps closed behind him. The little
indicator tells you, " Mouse Caught. " You
pick it up and throw it in the garbage,
without ever having to see the thing. That
was the only type of trap I used. The
old-fashioned traps mean you have to
see the aftereffects. And those
glue strips make me
cringe to even think
of using them. I
do not want to
hear a mouse
scream in
frustration.
It's bad
enough
when I have
to do that.
The night of
the determined
mouse, I kept
moving the trap
around the room,
near where I'd last seen
it. Imagine my surprise to
go into the bathroom and
find him inside the shower!
40 | Cooperative Living | February 2019
He'd apparently scaled the glass wall,
and then performed a death-defying
leap to the floor. I put the trap in the
shower. When I peeked back in, the
mouse had somehow left the shower and
gone elsewhere. I finally had to go to
bed, firmly shutting the bedroom door.
Out of the corner of my eye, I'd see
a mouse scurrying hither and yon
every day. I screamed in frustration.
Then, it happened: My worst
nightmare came true. I was sound
asleep at 4:45 a.m., and awoke to a
mouse running through my hair!
Ghastly. There's no going back to sleep
after that! Even now, I can feel it
scampering across my scalp. Now I
know why pioneers wore nightcaps.
A friend recommended I buy some
green poison pellets: serious stuff. I filled
two dishes and placed them at either end
of the house. The next morning, both
were empty. The next night and morning
after, same result. I did it the third night;
next morning, they were still full. Whew!
There's still a full dish in the kitchen,
so far untouched.
Now, to the minor miracle. On my
daily walk about three weeks before
Christmas, a friend who lives nearby
stopped her car and asked me to be on
the lookout for her missing 15-year-old
Siamese. I didn't say it, but figured a cat
that old had perhaps gone off to die.
Nonetheless, I kept an eye peeled, hoping
I didn't find the cat lying in a ditch, or
spot its body up in the woods.
By Christmas afternoon, I'd almost
forgotten about the missing cat. Then,
as I walked along, I spotted a cat-shaped
creature drinking from a puddle. I
thought it was a bobcat. I often see
wildlife along my walk, so I was excited.
The creature ran off as I approached. I
looked through the trees and, lo, there
was a cat. A Siamese cat! I couldn't
believe my luck.
I always carry my cellphone,
especially after my encounter with
the bear. I called my friend's house.
No answer. I kept on my way and,
co-opliving.com
when I turned to head back, there was
the Siamese again, drinking from the
mud puddle. I considered capturing it,
but the cat was having none of that.
Back at
the car, I
got the old phone
book I keep there and
called my friend's relative.
Turns out, she was in Nashville,
so no help there. I got my friend's
cellphone number. I called. She
answered. She was home, after all!
" I think I've found your cat, " I told her.
We were both excited. She and her
family walked up the road and managed
to spot and then capture the wayward
Siamese, who had now been missing
for almost a month. Success!
Later that night, she sent me a photo
of " Bella. " The old girl had her head
buried in a food dish, a bowl of fresh
water nearby.
So, folks, miracles can happen. A
wandering vagabond is safe at home,
and no mice are scampering through
my hair. So far. 
To order Margo's book, " A Party of One, "
call 540-468-2147 Monday-Thursday 9-5,
or email: TheRecorderOffice@gmail.com.
http://www.co-opliving.com
Cooperative Living February 2019

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