Monday, June 26, 2006 

Wanted: One mouser

At long last, I am finally ensconced in my new home with my new roommate, TheDesigner. The house we live in is older, but it's comfortable and beautifully decorated. TheDesigner's boyfriend, DrGamer, is around a lot and seems like a riot to hang out with. IrishTenor already knows DrGamer through an ex-girlfriend and likes him, so it will be a lot of fun to have everyone at the house together. In short, although I'm still settling in, I can't think of anything negative about my new living situation...

...except the resident mouse.

TheLandlord warned me when I signed the lease that there had been a mouse sighting or two last year and asked if my cat was a hunter. At the time, I didn't know, but this morning we had the chance to test Maya's predatory prowess.

The mouse made an appearance as TheDesigner and I were getting ready for work. Maya had been crouching by the kitchen sink ever since I got up, but I didn't think anything of it. After my shower, I entered the kitchen just in time to see Maya chasing a mouse back under the stove.

I shrieked. TheDesigner came running. Maya, who had failed to actually catch the mouse, recoiled from the stove.

TheDesigner and I held a very succinct council of war, the outcome of which was a decision to shut Maya in the kitchen until we both left for work, in case the mouse ventured out again, and let DrGamer set a few traps tonight.

Amid Maya's plaintive protests, I negated her hasty retreat and returned her to the kitchen, shutting the door behind us. She refused to approach the stove, instead positioning herself as far from it as possible. She pawed at the door and mewed fearfully as I poured myself a glass of water.

At the very first opportunity, she again fled the kitchen and promptly hid under my bed where the mouse wouldn't get her. So much for all of those famous feline hunting instincts.