A SECOND OPINION: Mouse hunting is family fun

— Hi, my name is Rosebud, and I'm the Jessen family cat. I decided to help my human, Janelle, write this column because I'm trying to convince her what a great pet I am.

You see, my family got a new puppy this week! Don't ask me why. I think they have lost their minds, especially when they have a cat like me who is quiet, well-behaved and never has accidents on the floor.

Anyway, I have been working all week to impress them with what a great pet I am by going on walks with them like a dog and sitting in their laps whenever possible, but they just seem too wrapped up in the new puppy to notice.

I do have to say I had startling success in getting their attention yesterday. You see, I haveheard that families today need to spend more quality time together instead of watching TV, playing on the Internet and running around to school and work, so I decided that what my family needed was a rollicking good mouse hunt.

I went out into the field and selected a big, healthy and fast mouse and brought it up to the house. If Janelle had been at the door, I'm sure she would have never let me in; she is very up tight about these things.Luckily for me, I found little sister standing by the glass door and she opened it right up for me. I can always count on little sister. At almost 3-years-old, she is just big enough to open the door for me but not big enough to get in too much trouble for it.

I took the mouse into the house and the whole family immediately got very excited, dancingaround me and shouting. I only wish James had been home to share in the fun.

Well, I dropped that mouse in the middle of the living room floor and walked over, laid down on my favorite spot on the footstool and watched the hunt.

The mouse immediately ran under the entertainment center, and Janelle jumped right into the hunt just like I had hoped. She grabbed the fly swatter and fell to the floor, poking under the entertainment center with the handle and ordering me to get on the other side and catch the mouse when it came out.

I just don't think it would be sporting for an expert like myself to get involved in the game.Oh, no, I wanted to let my family have all the fun. That's another reason I'm a good pet, I'm very unselfish.

I hate to admit it, but just between you and me, poor Janelle is a terrible hunter. I mean, how can she expect to sneak up on her prey when she lets out an ear-piercing shriek every time she gets a glimpse of it! Honestly, its a wonder humans don't starve.

But even though she might not be a good hunter, I could tell Janelle was having fun by the way she was getting so excited and batting frantically under the TV with the fly swatter.

Little sister and big sister were having a lot of fun too, circling the TV and screaming every time Janelle screamed. Big sister even speculated that the mouse would probably have babies in the house. Think of all the excitement we would have then!

Well, Janelle peekedbehind the TV and she could see just the furry back end of the mouse. She decided to plunge behind the TV and grab the mouse inside a plastic sack. She has got to work on her grabbing; the mouse ran right up her arm and jumped back under the TV. You should have heard her scream! I'm surprised the neighbors didn't think she was being brutally murdered and call the police.

Then the mouse ran out from in front of the TV and Janelle tried to grab him again but missed.Humans do have slow reflexes. The mouse ran down the hall and little brother grabbed the fly swatter and smacked that mouse right on the head.

That slowed the mouse down considerably, but you will never believe what happened next. Janelle grabbed it up in a plastic sack, ran out the door and let it go back in the field. What a waste! They do have a lot to learn, but I don't mind teaching them; it's my contribution to the family.

I was pretty impressed with little brother. Even though he is only 5-yearsold, little brother has the fastest reflexes of any human in the family and he is the only one who kept himself under control and hunted quietly without screaming wildly in delight. I think he showsa lot of promise.

I tell you, I'm glad they had fun, but they were so loud with the yelling and shrieking, it almost gave me a headache. But that's OK because I’m a good pet, and I'm willing to make sacrifices like that for the greater good of my family.

Will that puppy ever bring a live mouse in the house for family night? I don't think so.

Janelle Jessen is a reporter for the Westside Eagle Observer and a longtime resident of the Decatur area. She may be contacted by email at [email protected].

Opinion, Pages 6 on 04/18/2012