THE BRIGHT LIGHTS OF MULESHOE

Alice Liles

MULESHOE CORRESPONDENT

Alice’s note: This story first appeared in my blog The Bright Lights of Muleshoe on Sept. 6, 2014. As I mention in this article, we don’t have a mouse problem, but I think it is safe to say that everyone, from time to time, will have the occasional mouse seeking food and shelter in or around the house, especially when cold weather sets in and the crops have been harvested, leaving the mice population searching for food and shelter. We are now in that time of year, so perhaps you have had one or two uninvited visitors to your home. Our cats have always taken care of that problem, as you will discover in this story. I am sad to report that all of the cats in this story, save Minnie, have gone on to hunt mice in cat heaven, but they did a nice job while they were with us.

We have never had a mouse problem, or with rabbits and snakes. We have, however, always had cats. For about the past month, they have knocked themselves out ridding our yard, not to mention the world, of mice. At least one a day, One Sunday we discovered four little rodent bodies dotted around the yard, in the barn, by the front door, by the back door. They have always caught mice, but not like this.

We think the mice must be on the move looking for food since the corn crop behind the house has been harvested and left them emptyhanded. This little victim was left for me where I exercise in the barn.

I can’t help but be curious about which cat, or cats, have been so successful with their hunting skills. We know it wasn’t Poopie Cat, who spends her days and nights lounging about in the house.

It might be Perla, but she seems perfectly content to hold down her position as queen of my side of the barn and surrounding area. I think her attitude toward hunting is been there, done that, and may not get that excited about playing jungle cat anymore.

Sophie has been known to leave trophies at the front door, but I’m not sure bagging the kill interests her that much anymore, either.

Minnie is a probable candidate. She’s younger, inquisitive; big and strong. I suspect she has brought in a fair number of those carcasses.

But the real money is on Peaches. She trots out the door like a warrior on a mission and covers a lot of ground. She is the smallest of the cats