Mouse Patrol

Anyone who knows me knows that I am not a cat person. Over the years I had a desire to have one, but sanity quickly prevailed and I never was a cat owner. A roommate in college had one and Simon was a cool feline, but they are just not my type of animal. Dogs are more my style. However, I do love all furry, fuzzy, cuddly creatures. Given the opportunity, I would most likely own any number of animals... cow, raccoon, sheep, goat, horse etc. Oh, how I would love to own a cow. Shh, don't tell my pets but I've always loved cows. Living in Vermont for 4.5 years was like living in cow heaven. They were everywhere!

But alas, I've never lived anywhere that would be considered cow permissible. Although, a cow would probably love our property, fabulous husband veto's it before I even finish saying "cow".

Back to our mouse patrol. Shortly after moving in, I found mouse poop in the utensil drawer. Um, can we say disgusting?!?! Everything in the drawer was promptly entered into the dishwasher and the drawer was cleaned and I was grossed out. It is one thing to know that you have mouse potential, it is another entirely to have their poop on your fork. We live in the country, the possibility of mice is higher than the possibility of cell service. I get it, and I'm okay with it. I wouldn't say I embrace it, but if I don't think about it, it doesn't bother me.

Within 24 hours, I was a cat person. Into our lives came Layla. Layla was a barn cat from a dairy farm in Upstate NY that we adopted from a local couple whose parents own the dairy farm. She is also the head of the mouse patrol.

Layla was getting lonely. Or I said she was, or I was thinking really she should have a friend. And 2 months later, we adopted Gutter. Gutman as we affectionately refer to him came from a Philadelphia shelter via his wonderful foster home and into our lives. I am now a 2 cat person.

Scooping poop and cleaning litter has most likely made me a forever and only 2 cat person. I do every now and again get a twinge, but then I scoop some litter and that twinge is long forgotten.

Layla and Gutter at first were not friends. In fact Layla wanted nothing to do with Gutter and I thought, OH GOD, I made a huge mistake. But alas as time went on, they have become the best of friends, or at least to a non-cat person they seem as if they tolerate each other enough to sometimes cuddle together, play together and occasionally clean each other. Gutter is second in command of the mouse patrol.

Prior to them gaining their mouse patrol skills, we did have 1 incident where Rissa, our foster dog and the Dyson Animal vacuum had to step up and rid us of a mouse. Oh yes, fabulous husband and I cornered a little field mouse and not wanting bloodshed, swiftly kicked Rissa out of the room, and decided that the only safe, humane, CLEAN way to get him out of the house was to vacuum him. And yes, I'm aware that Dyson most likely did not mean the Animal version of their vacuum to be used for such purposes.