About sixteen or seventeen years ago Spouse and I were renting the downstairs of a split-level house. It wasn't a great place, and in fact had something wrong with the air. But we could afford it and so we were content to be there.
One evening I was home along reading a book near the fireplace - which we were not allowed to use. Suddenly, I hear this crash, which sounds like it came from the fireplace. I turned around and investigated, but found nothing to show what it was. Eventually, I forgot about it.
Two days later, both B.J.Honeycat and Baby Boy (our two cats) were very interested in the cupboards in the kitchen area, which was open to the living room. As I stood to see if they had trapped a mouse or something, a big head pokes out from a hole near the floor and this creature begins screaming at the cats. Then it retreats back under the cupboards. Spouse comes running to see what's going on, and about that time the creature comes out by the refrigerator.
It's a mink, which looks like a weasel. It was mostly white, or light colored anyway. My guess is, it had been hiding for a day or two under the cupboards, but now the need for food and water was driving it to search for a way to escape. It saw the cats and retreated back under the cupboards.
Of course I doubt the mink realized it, but it could have shredded both our cats without taking any injury whatsoever. Even Baby Boy, who was a killer regarding mice, would not have stood a chance against those razor sharp teeth.
Spouse wanted to take the cats away but I said no. The mink was still afraid of the cats, and the cats couldn't get to it as long as it hid. What we had to do was figure out how to get the mink out of the house without any of the five of us getting hurt. (Two cats, two people, one mink.) I came up with a plan.
I propped the door open. Of course it was on the exact opposite side of the double room. Then I cleared a path along the wall leading from the refrigerator and to the door. Then I had spouse take the cats away and lock them in the bedroom. Then we waited.
It didn't take long for the mink to realize the cats were no longer there. I came out hesitantly. When it had put enough distance between itself and its two-day hide-out, I moved to block its way back. It turned and considered me and I feared I made blundered. What a stupid way to die, I thought. Shredded up and bled to death by a creature not much bigger than my hand. But the mink knew it didn't have to fight and turned and headed away from me. As I hoped, it stayed close to the wall, feeling protected by the freedom to not have to worry about every direction at once. When it saw the door it took off and escaped into the night.
Since I never got close enough to be bitten I do not know if it was a male or a mother with kits wondering where she was. I felt good about her/him/it getting out without being physically damaged. I'm sure there was some stress involved. Hopefully, the silly thing now knew better than to much about with chimney tops. Some people actually use their fireplaces.
The cats, of course, spent the next week sitting by the big hole at the floor waiting for the mink to show itself again. I'm sure in their minds they had been cheated of a potentially fun game. I don't think they would have enjoyed their new playmate much.
I should have taken a picture. It would have made an excellent addition to Firestar's Virtual Image Zoo.
4 comments:
It's always nice when the critters realise that escape is an option instead of continuing to hide (and pee and crap all over the place, which would likely reek for weeks.)
I can just see those cats waiting patiently for the mink to reappear.
Absolutely, Writtenwyrdd. But then that place stunk like stale oil anyway, which is why the cats weren't able to find the mink in the first place.
Hi Fairy. And Firestar is just like that. He caught a mouse back in January or February near the kitchen stove. He will still park himself by there and wait patiently for it to reappear.
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