Introducing . . . Freddie the Freeloader

R and I have been having an interesting problem of late.

Three weeks ago, I woke up to a tremendous squeaking and chirping going on downstairs. Usually that means one of our cats have brought in and are dispatching with some critter. I got up and went downstairs to survey the damage. Well, one of our cats (I think it was Felix) was standing in front of the microwave cart, looking all hunterish. I peaked behind it and was instantly assaulted by the most virulent stream of curses ever uttered by a chipmunk. I made some attempts to sweep the critter out with a broom, but only succeeded in getting a new strain of chipmunk obscenities rained upon my head. After some time, I had to leave to go to work. I figured I would just shoo him out that evening, when both R and I were home. I just hoped that I would not return home to find a corpsified critter in pieces on the floor.

As I said, that was 3 weeks ago. For those of you who don't know, R and I are blessed with nine cats--NINE CATS! Do you think that with NINE CATS in the house, a rodent would dare to draw breath? Well, Freddie the Freeloader--as he is now referred to--has apparently found our home a good land, flowing with Milk and Honey. Every once in a while we will hear him chirp away. The sound is at such a pitch that it is difficult to hone in on where it is coming from. And he will only call out a couple times, then he will fall silent. I look for help from the cats, sure that at least one will show interest. The most I will get is a yawn or a stretch, followed by the hopeful looking of the cat begging for a treat.

We have bird feeders, so we have a stash of birdseed in the house. We also have a perpetual cat food feeder, so I'm sure he feels he has never had it so good. When R and I are home for any amount of time, all doors stay open, hoping he will make like a tree and scram. All for naught. Maybe we have to stop feeding our cats regularly, so they will show some interest in Freddie. The irony is that our cats are still hunting outside. The other day, Nugget brought in and dropped a mole on our living room floor. Within 5 minutes, Freddie just happened to chirp out his presence. Actually, I think I detected a distinct sound of laughter in his voice.

Well, at least he's not a skunk!!!

Peace
C