CATS AND TRAPS

CATS AND TRAPS, THE MOUSE WAR CONTINUES.

I’M SURE THAT MICE IN THE DESERT, PLAY A MAJOR ROLE IN THE FOOD CHAIN AND ECO-SYSTEM OF THE DESERT. ONE LOCAL EXPLAINED THERE HAVE ALWAYS BEEN MICE IN THE AREA, HOWEVER IN THE LAST 10 YEARS THERE SEEMS TO BE MANY MORE THAN IN THE OLD DAYS.

SHE WENT ON TO EXPLAIN THAT SINCE THE MOHAVE VALLEY HAS EXPLODED WITH THE CONSTRUCTION OF HOMES AND RETAIL TO MAKE ROOM FOR THE ESCAPING CALIFORNIA PEOPLE, THAT THE MICE SEEMED TO HAVE MOVE UP INTO THE MOUNTAINS.

WE MADE A MISTAKE IN THE MOUSE WAR. WHEN WE BROUGHT IN THE KITTEN, MARY SAID SHE WOULD LIKE THE KITTEN TO STAY OFF THE FRONT KITCHEN COUNTER WHERE SHE PREPARES FOOD, STORES HER FRUITS, AND BREAD ITEMS.

THE KITTEN IS VERY SMART AND LEARNS QUICKLY. ON HER SECOND CRUISE OF THE KITCHEN COUNTER, SHE JUMPED DOWN INTO THE SINK AND I NAILED HER WITH THE SQUIRT BOTTLE. AT THIS POINT WE THOUGHT THE MOUSE WAR WAS OVER.

THE MICE BEGAN A SECOND INVASION AND THE EVIDENCE WAS CLEAR, THE KITCHEN COUNTER, FOOD, WATER, AND LOWER KITCHEN CABINATES ARE THE OBJECTIVE OF THE MICE. OUR MISTAKE, IS THAT WE HAVE EFFECTIVLY TRAINED THE NUMBER ONE WEAPON, THE CAT, TO AVOID THIS AREA.

TO UNTRAIN, OR RETRAIN THE CAT TO RETURN TO THE BATTLEFIELD WAS THE OBJECTIVE. I DON’T KNOW IF YOU’VE EVER TRIED TO TEACH A CAT ANYTHING, BUT EVEN THE BOOKS AND VIDEOS WE SELECTED FROM THE LIBRARY AGREE A CAT DOES WHAT EVER IT WANTS!

IF YOU TRY TO TEACH A CAT SOMETHING, THEY SIT BACK AND SIMPLY ASK, “WHAT’S IN FOR ME?”

I BOUGHT THESE CAT TREATS.

I LEAVE ONE OF THESE TASTY CAT TREATS ON THE COUNTER TOP EACH DAY AND ENCOURAGE HER TO PATROL AND FIND THE TREAT. SUCCESS !!! SHE HAS RE-ENTERED THE BATTLE GROUND.

I ALSO LEAVE ONE OF THESE TREATS IN HER NEW PET CARRIER (CAT GARAGE), AND SHE GOES IN TO CHECK THAT OUT EACH DAY TOO. BEING RV’ERS SHE NEEDS TO LEARN TO TRAVEL. HER NEXT BIG TRIP WILL BE AT THE END OF THE MONTH WHEN WE TAKE HER BACK TO VEGAS FOR CAT SHOTS.

SUSIE-Q IS PRETTY YOUNG TO BE MUCH OF A “MOUSER”, BUT I THOUGHT HER PRESENCE WOULD KEEP THE MICE OUTSIDE.

OUR NEXT OFFENSIVE IN THE MOUSE WAR WAS TO MOVE EVERYTHING OUT OF THE LOWER CUPBOARDS. WE SET THE TRAPS INSIDE WHERE SUSIE-Q COULDN’T ACCIDENTLY TRIP A TRAP, AND THEN THE NEXT WEEK OPENED THE CUPBOARD DOORS TO GIVE THE CAT FULL ACCESS AND PATROL FOR MICE.

SO FAR WE HAVE TRAPPED 4 MICE, AND THE CAT HAS SUCCESSFULLY STARVED ONE TO DEATH KEEPING IT TRAPPED IN A FURNACE DUCT.

THE WAR CONTINUES……..