Hey, Coffee House readers! I am ecstatic to report that I have gotten my long-awaited freedom. They released me from jail and the awful cone of shame. Not a moment too soon, as we had an intruder. There was a mouse in our house, and it was eating my food! Not cool at all, my friends.

I had been chasing the mouse throughout the house, trying to keep it out of my food dish, but I am still a kitten, and I didn’t really know what else I should do. I was so relieved when Tish found the scoundrel hiding behind my litter box. She didn’t scream, but I could sense the adrenaline rush that finding the mouse gave her. She slowly moved the box, and I attempted to introduce myself as the rightful owner of all the food it had been stealing. The mouse met me, nose to nose, as if it had a right to be in my house, eating my food! The next thing I knew, Tish used the smaller litter box which was clean and empty to trap the mouse. She then put my dirty litter box on top of the trap and left the room. By this time, I could not only sense her excitement, but I could see it. She was shaking!

Roy was asleep, and Tish told him there was an emergency which woke him up rather quickly. Tish needed Roy to evict the mouse from the house. He found a sturdy piece of cardboard and slid the cardboard under the trap. He then picked it up and got Tish to open the back door. It was 2:30 am, and he was not happy about the whole ordeal. He said he didn’t think this was an emergency. Tish assured him it was, and the eviction was necessary. Together, they eradicated the thief from my home, and the mouse hasn’t been back since! Tish has been cleaning again; I think she is looking for messes the mouse may have left behind. I am a clean cat, so it is not me she is cleaning up after; she has to be cleaning up after the mouse. It was hiding behind my litter box, but the mouse wasn’t using the litter box, that’s for sure.

Photo by Tish MacWebber

The day after I achieved my freedom, Tish needed my help. She was rinsing bottles to put them in a big blue bag. They made a noise as she put in one after the other. She missed one, so I found it for her on the floor and made sure she put the bottle into the bag with the rest of them. She then took the jail, which was clean and folded, and the bottles away. I heard her tell Roy that they were donating the bottles to the SPCA, where they found me. I’m not sure what the SPCA does with the bottles, but if it was the only way to bring the jail back to them and as far away from here as possible, I was happy to help Tish get them ready to go.

Photo by Tish MacWebber

It is so nice to run again. I am faster than I was before, and I slide to a stop frequently. I use the whole house as my playground, except for the guest room again. Tish bought me a new toy to celebrate my freedom from jail. It is a stuffed platypus. The platypus is soft and makes crinkly noises when I chew it. I can wrap my four legs around it and kick the platypus as much as I want to. I rather enjoy playing with the platypus, and Tish even looks for it sometimes. She laughs when she sees my toys in different places in the house. What can I say? I like to play all over the house, and I like to take my toys with me. Tish says that she will not buy me toys all the time, but I like it when she does. New toys keep me entertained and out of trouble… most of the time.

Photo by Tish MacWebber

I am also continuing my athletic training on the cat furniture. I can hang from one claw and still not fall off it. I run from top to bottom, especially when treats are up for grabs. Tish puts the treats in her hand, closes it around the treats, and puts them on the very top of my furniture. Roy puts them in different places for me to hunt. Either way, I will leap tall cat furniture to get to my treats.

I could not try Tish’s coffee yet, but it is not because I don’t try to. She keeps moving it away from me and drinking it all herself. Once in a while, she skips the coffee. I like those days because it means she will join me in a catnap. Catnaps are the best. You can never have enough catnaps, treats, or playtime. I try to remind Tish and Roy of this daily, when I am playing tag with their legs and when I hunt them for fun. It is delightful when I am successful in surprising them. This means my skills are improving. If that mouse ever comes back, I may have to defend my food. I need to be ready, just in case. Hunting humans is one way I can practice and I must admit, it is a lot of fun! Tish plays along with me more than Roy does. When she sees me watching her, she will crouch down and peek at me while I am peeking at her. I never see her wiggle her butt, though. She just starts playing hide and seek with me. We have a lot of fun in this house.

Photo by Tish MacWebber

The other thing I love is snuggling on Tish or Roy for a nap. I place myself over their heart, and when I am asleep, I will stretch out as long as I can be to grow while I am sleeping. Tish comments on how long I am. Sometimes, she will zip me up inside her hoodie for a catnap. I can’t stay in there too long as it gets too warm, but it is like a magical potion for making me feel safe, loved, and sleepy. I know she will eventually get pictures of this, but I have been able to time it so that Roy is already sleeping so he can’t take the picture. One day she will have one to share, but for now, it is our secret snuggle.

I hear the treat bag moving, so I must get going to make sure I don’t miss out on mine. Speaking of treats, I hope that you indulge while you are drinking your coffee. Since you can. I have to live my life without coffee, but I won’t ever give up my treats. They make life more fun! It’s time to defy gravity and get mine. Then maybe I’ll go find the platypus for some kangaroo kicks. Always change your attack because it keeps the enemy guessing, friends. Later!

Photo by Tish MacWebber

~ Jazzy