I was full of Benadryl, snuggled in my warm bed and blissfully drifting toward sleep when it happened.
Squeak!
Smidgeon was curled next to me purring. He sat bolt upright, his ears sonar locating the source of the squeak. Visual achieved. He shot off the bed. The thud of his paws on the hallway sounded like the field in the Derby rounding the turn.
SQUEAK! Contact made.
Ordinarily, I would have rolled out of bed and rescued the mouse but I was full of Benadryl, it was freezing cold in the house and it was warm in my bed. I was pretty sure I could sleep through a mouse murder. Under the extreme circumstances, I was even sure that I could morally justify it.
Hiss, spit, growl. Ernie had discovered Smidgeon and the mouse. Battle ensued to claim ownership. If the mouse is smart, I thought, he’ll make a break for it while they’re fighting.
The mouse wasn’t smart or wasn’t fast enough. Over the next thirty minutes all four of our cats took turns hissing, growling, and swatting at each other trying to be the one who got the mouse. They made enough noise to prevent the Benadryl from knocking me out. They didn’t make enough noise to actually make me get up.
Finally, Brian took pity on the mouse, flung back the covers (which made me cold, jerk) and stormed off to end the fuss. Four cats growled and hissed at him but no one was dumb enough to launch an assault. He’s cranky when he’s woken by noisy cats.
The front door opened then closed and Brian stomped back down the hallway.
“Was it dead?” I was hoping the cats finished the job. I didn’t want to nurse a dying mouse when the Benadryl wore off and the guilt took over.
“There wasn’t a mark on it. I reached down to pick him up and he squinted his eyes shut so tight. Poor little guy.”
“Maybe next time he breaks into a house he’ll check first for cats.”
Nora, this sounds like us. A rat ran in the house and Alex (my husband) chased it outside with a broom. Then he took it a hunk of cheese to eat. The rat actually scared out cat half to death. LOL!
LMAO! I can see my husband or I feeding a rat too! Brian acts like I’m crazy but he’s as much of a softy as I am when it comes to animals. It’s one of the reasons I love him so much. The cat being scared of the rat is hysterical! We don’t have that problem around here!
P.S. I just read your most recent blog post. Your photo is adorable!
Our cats are far too ladylike to squabble over a mouse. Whichever cat brings it in, owns it – unless it runs their way, of course. We usually manage to save them, except when their little heart gives out with fear
Hmm…ladies. I guess our problem is our crew is mostly boys! Of course, Mimi can hold her own in a fight!
I am seriously laughing my ass off with this post! Believe it or not, I just took a dose of Benadryl to see if it will conk me out and take me out of the misery that is being caused by teeth pain. So far, nada. I think at this point, I would welcome the distraction of a mouse even if I don’t have four cats to stand guard.
Poor thing! I hope you feel better soon. I find my Benadryl works best with wine though medical professionals everywhere are shrieking that that’s dangerous! (Please don’t take medical advice from Door In Face.) I think in my situation, the mouse was far less annoying than the cats!
I’ve never read a post that made me feel bad for a mouse.
Also, there is nothing that I would want more right now than a dose of Benadryl and a warm bed.
So you won’t lynch me for not leaping up to help the mouse!?