Saved From The Cricket: A Reenactment

Somehow a cricket got inside the house.  I did a quick search online to find a natural way (no toxic bug spray, please!) to get rid of the bug, since it would disappear into the crack between the floor and the wall any time I tried to approach.

So, I read about a bowls of molasses and water, and some sort of homemade fly-paper stuff.  And lots of noise about crickets left to multiply, to eat one's house up!  Then, the light bulb went off.  I have CATS!  They chase any moth or fly that comes along, and Angel loves to catch spiders (and eat the web...ugh).  So, I waited until Angel and Chuck awoke from their naps to investigate.

Chuck did not acknowledge any problem.  He heard the chirping but ignored it completely.  Hmm, must be management material.

Angel knew something was not right from the get-go, like the good worker bee she is.  She hunted and sniffed, and the cricket went silent when she finally found its location.  She walked away, and the cricket chirped.  She walked back again...silence.  The cricket slid into the crack where she could not get at it.

However, Mr. Cricket decided that a cat locating his presence could quickly become lethal, and he began his move.  He crawled along the edge, around a corner, and was within feet of the front door when Angel again found him, who pointed out the vile intruder's location to her humans, and without eating it first.  Since it was out in the open now, and could no longer hide in the gap, I grabbing a clean kitty litter scoop and I slipped it under the monster.  Managed to get it outside to freedom, without any human or cat or insect being injured in the process!  Hurrah!

The Reenactment:

Cricket inside, where it shouldn't be!

Close-up of vile intruder

Intruder near front door, ready to be
1) Eaten by Angel
or
2) Saved by human

THE END

Credits:

Intruder cricket stunt double: cute elephant mini sculpture

Playing herself: Angel, my hero!

Saved From The Skunks: A Reenactment

Last night, I sat in my usual wooden chair to enjoy the backyard.  I closed my eyes, and breathed deeply.  I could feel Patty O'Malley nearby, and he was acting strangely.  I peeked out, and Patty was standing between me...and the skunk that was hiding in the hostas in front of me!

Recreation of skunk looking out of hostas at me

Imagine me sitting in that chair!

I carefully got up and walked to the deck.  While I stood there, I noticed another skunk in the lily-of-the-valley leaves behind my chair!

Recreation of skunk hiding in the leaves
behind the tree

After deciding that it was high time I was inside, I looked down the other side of the yard, and there was a THIRD skunk in the plants there too!

Recreation of 3rd skunk beside the driveway

Once I'd thanked Patty profusely for saving me from an awful, smelly fate of coming face-to-face with a family of skunks, I waited until they were all on one side of the yard, and I beat it out of there on the other side.

Credits:

The Villains

All skunks portrayed by weird inflatable Sea Monster,
purchased in Pittsburgh many years ago
He's kinda cute!
(My sister is gonna kill me because I forgot this beastie's name!)

The Hero

Patty O'Malley, played by himself

P.S. And what nice thing did I do for Patty?  I pinned him down and put a dose of die-flea-die on the back of his noggin!  He been scratching himself so hard, that he has sores around his neck and head.  Don't worry; I gave him lots of lubs and smooches in gratitude for saving me!

Cat Rescued on the 408

I received the following email from my very good friend in Florida, who once lived in Metro Detroit, hence the Lodge reference:

Had to share this. This guy (a friend of a friend of ours) risked his life to rescue the cat. The 408 in places is like The Lodge freeway with the concrete median barrier. How the cat even got across 3-4 lanes of heavy traffic is amazing. To even think about maneuvering thru traffic & to take the risks to save the cat is heroic. Appears the rescuer's Army training kicked in.

Subject: My friend rescued this cat off the 408 ... he is looking to find her a good "inside" home

I rescued this little girl from the concrete barrier that separates the EB and WB lanes on the 408. I drove by her the first time and thought to myself "Wow, that cat looks like it was alive!" So I turned around at the Bumby exit and drove by her again. She had turned herself around and was lying flat as a pancake on top of the barrier. I exited at JYP and turned around again. I had to try to help this cat. I drove past her again and pulled over. As I approached her she ran under my truck. This wasn't what I was hoping for. While dodging oncoming traffic, I searched my truck for 10 minutes and couldn't find her. I thought she maybe ran back across the 408. I got back in my truck to drive off and as I merged back into traffic I saw her jump out from under my truck. Shit! So I pulled over again and went after her. She was running down the concrete barrier. I jumped the barrier and followed her from the opposite side so she couldn't see me. She eventually stopped and froze from the terror of the traffic. I caught up to her and waited for the traffic to clear in case she decided to bolt when I reached over the barrier for her. The traffic cleared and I grabbed her by the nape of her neck with my ninja like reflexes. I expected a struggle, but she didn't even put up a fight. I carried her back to the truck and inspected her for injuries. Her pads were bleeding and her face was cut up, but she looked to be okay. We climbed back in the truck and off we went to the vet. She was a little banged up and dehydrated. They checked her out and gave her fluids and antibiotics. She has a chip. The owner was from Ft. Myers and she basically dumped the cat. She is spayed and declawed. FIV & feline leukemia free. She is a very loving cat. So who wants to adopt her? She is looking for a loving, inside home!

Be ARMY Strong!

My first reaction upon reading this email was...wow, what a hero!  Almost an advertisement for the Army.  Then I got mad...angry with the woman who threw her cat away.  Seems like a clear cut case of animal cruelty.  I will hope that this little lady finds a loving, happy home with humans who take care of her for the rest of her life.  Actually, kinda looks like she's pretty happy where she is, hmmm?

P.S. Thanks to PN for the email above, and for the additional news that the cat has found a forever home.  Hurray!  I still want the cat's original owner to be brought to justice.

P.S.S. Congratulations to my niece and nephew-in-law upon the arrival of their third son!  Maybe a future cat dude..?

I'm a Great Auntie again...whee!