Cat vs. Mouse

I must give a warning about this post...

If you are squeamish about dead things, are a member of Mouse Lovers of America, or are yourself a mouse please do not read any further.

If you are now super curious about my warnings and are at the edge of your seat with anticipation, we will now begin.. 

We live on a farm.

A real bonafide farm with a woodland surround, ponds, wildlife that meanders up to our house and sometimes into our house.

Sometimes into our barn.

Sometimes in and out of our silo where a tree took root many years ago and now towers from it's open-to-the-sky peak.

And within this barn live a pony and two goats. 
Who eat grain and hay.
Which mice love.
Really, really love.
And while I like mice in theory, I do not like mice eating my pets' food rations.
Pooping in their bowls.
Peeing in their hay.
Getting into my house. 
Which always happens.
They steal dog food and hoard it in my utensil drawer.
Hide under my stove.
Hang out in the living room to watch TV with us and we don't need extra viewers. 
And they are cousins to rats and I have an irrational fear of the return of the bubonic plague.
Don't you?

So, we have four barn kittens.

To get rid of these offenders before they cause too much damage to the hay, grain, and our home.

Now, not all cats are mousers. 

Just because you are a feline does not automatically make you a good mouse trap.

Of our three indoor cats only one, Kit Cat, is stealthy mouse eradicator.

And of our four indoor/outdoor barn kittens, three are expert mousers.

Popcorn found and caught his first mouse at around 4 months of age.

He was in the barn and did what we wanted with this wee mouse.

We don't let them eat the mouse, that is if we see them with the prey and see that it's indeed done for. 

If we don't see them eat it, then I guess they do so.

But that gives me the willies...shiver, groan.



Popcorn with his first mouse



Firecracker has turned out to be the best mouser by and large.

He has found a spot that they come out of (we believe) because he keeps bringing them to the porch.

We have a well behind the house and we have seen mice go down into the well opening.

Firecracker perches himself onto the table that's over the well and waits.

Waits with the patience of a cat who knows he will get his reward.

If he waits out the enemy.

And so far the enemy is no match for Firecracker.

Or Cali or Popcorn.

Their brother Jumper would rather eat cat food.

He doesn't like having mouse breath.



Firecracker- mouser extraordinaire