The kitties three are now a full year old.  In between bouts of racing around the house like wild pigs, they can often be found near the one sunny window they can get to.  Like this:

Peanut & Princessa

and this:

Pumpkin & Peanut

But tonight we discovered why they also like this particular place:

Princessa

We watched them take turns sitting on the stove, staring up at the range hood.  My hubby took the filters out and had a look around, but didn’t see anything, so we retreated to the computer room.  A while later, I heard a low, serious growl coming from the living room.  When I got there, Peanut was warning his sister Princessa to keep away from his mouse, so I will share the GaGa methods of removing mouses from cats that want to keep them.

• Step 1.  Get a small bucket or bowl and a piece of thin but sturdy cardboard.
• Step 2.  Follow the cat in possession of the mouse, until said cat releases said mouse.
• Step 3.  Quickly put the bucket upside down over the mouse.
• Step 4.  Slide the cardboard under, flip the whole thing over … and give it to your hubby to dispose of as he sees fit.

Alternate method if the cat refuses to let go of the mouse:

• Step 1.  Put on shoes, and warm clothing if it’s cold outside.
• Step 2.  Pick up the cat, complete with mouse.
• Step 3.  Take cat and mouse outdoors and set them on the ground.
• Step 4.  Stand over same until cat releases mouse.  This part can take a while.
• Step 5.  Quickly, before he can grab the mouse again, pick up cat and return it to the house, saying, “Good kitty, good kitty.”

Tonight we could use the first method, although with this being their first mouse and all, it took us a while to get with the program.  In the meantime, Peanut kept letting the mouse go so he could chase it again.  By God’s grace, it didn’t find a good hiding place before my hubby returned with the bucket.  It was a hoppy little thing, though we did manage to remove it.

I know, I know.  We stole their birthday present.  But I gave them all lots of kitty treats afterward, and that will just have to do.

And I am extremely grateful that this happened while we were still awake.  I’m sure I would not appreciate a new furry kitty toy in bed with us.

The cats, who are about a year old now, are still smart enough to know that the seasons are changing.  I’ve been finding them in strange places and finally figured out that, with the cooler temperatures and no heat turned on yet, that they’re looking for warm spots.  Here’s where they’ve been hanging out lately.