Last night I headed down the stairs to the kitchen when I saw a dark shape streak across the floor and disappear behind the fridge. MOUSE! I screamed (internally), slamming the door to the lounge shut so it wouldn't retrace its steps. There's been nary a sign of the furry little guy since, thank goodness.
It's not the first time we've had visitors. Our terrace was built in the 1800s, and has loads of little nooks and crannies for critters to tunnel through. I first saw a mouse a few years ago, when The Man was away on a business trip. As soon as he got home, we called in council. Mice are such a problem in the borough that they actually have a service where someone comes to check out your flat - for free! Our guy assured us that while we did have a mouse intruding at some point, he was long gone. We joked that he probably took one look at our foodless kitchen and decided to go somewhere better!
We had two run-ins since then, but the mice don't seem to like our hospitality. They put in a quick appearance and duck out again. Let's hope it stays that way!
5 comments:
I went in for organic mouse control. This system is potentially self perpetuating, is completely organic, and relatively inexpensive.
It is called CAT. Certified Animal Terrorizer.
But CAT systems do require maintenance, fueling, brushing, petting, and the system can be hard on clothes and furniture. Nor is the system environmentally friendly or hypoallergenic.
True story;
One night I’m all snuggled into my bed and I roll over and hit a tack with my toe. I grumble sleepily to myself and fall back asleep. Later I roll over again and again hit the same tack. Now I’m awake. I pull my feet up towards me and HIT THE DAMN TACK…again? While moving away from it? I’m now standing beside the bed and as I throw back the covers…a streak of brown rushes out from the covers and under the bookcase! With pillow in hand I head to the upstairs couch.
I hate mice...
must...hunt..them...down!!
They can go where ever they want-just not in my house.
Mike- I would never sleep again.
There are cat allergies in my family-but luckily my big dog is a good mouser.
I would love to get a cat - or dog! But somehow our screenless windows, balconies and leather furniture seem to conspire against it. We have set traps with peanut butter but we've caught nothing yet!
Mike - I cannot believe you could sleep again after that! I'd be awake all night!
As the proud owner of FOUR cats, I must say they do not always do their job.
We had a little critter in the house a while back. In fact, one of the cats my have actually brought the mouse in... Freddy looked for the mouse everywhere, but didn't find it. We assumed it had left, what with FOUR PREDATORS in the house and all.
Nope.
Three days later, Freddy spots something grey and furry dash from the couch to the closet.
The mouse had been hiding under the couch all that time... AND NOT ONE OF OUR VICIOUS PREDATORS FOUND IT.
Freddy caught the critter, and, since it was so cute, decided to let it go instead of smashing its head with a hammer (the original plan). He even warned the mouse to stay away from this house.
Two days later, I'm fixing my lunch in the kitchen (Freddy's fast asleep, since he goes to work about 2 hours after I do). I turn to open the fridge and RIGHT THERE IN FRONT OF ME ON THE FLOOR -- dead mouse.
Freddy woke up quickly (might have had something to do with the screeching wife who ran into the bedroom, slamming the door) and took care of the thing.
The CSI team did not find any evidence of a struggle inside the house, therefore the kill was performed OUTSIDE, and the carcass was dragged INTO my kitchen by the furry murderer.
While they make great foot warmers, cats are not always the most efficient varmint exterminators.
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