One Frosty Fall Morning

In Loving Memory of Cisco Who Died at 17 on Dec. 3, 2010 in My Arms

Cisco was still sleepy when he was awakened by a strange sound. His ears perked up and suddenly, his senses tingled with a warning of possible danger. Slowly he crept out of his warm, comfortable chair and crouched on the floor. With senses on full alert, he peered into the darkness looking for shadows of anything that was out of place in his territory. The floor was cold to the touch and he shivered a little as he began to creep toward the kitchen. Only a few days ago, the floor had been comfortable when he began his morning, what was this strange change that caused the floor to be cold this morning? He could ponder that question later, now he must concentrate on finding the sound that did not belong.
As he crept along the wall in the kitchen, he noticed that there was a different smell being emitted from the cabinet under the sink. His instincts told him that the hunt was on; a mouse had invaded his territory! Mice were not tolerated in his home; they smelled bad and destroyed the peace of his home. This mouse would have to go. It seemed like an easy task but he knew from experience that the hunt would take time, stealth, and patience. The rustling of paper in the trash can under the sink was the sound that had awakened him this morning. It was still early dawn, darkness filled the house with a cold blackness that only made the floor seem colder to his feet.
Cisco decided that first he needed to patrol his territory looking for any scents and traces of the mouse that might lead him to where the mouse had entered the house and where he might plan to make a nest. The cold floor seemed to bring back memories of other cold mornings and other hunts that seemed to happen at this time of year. What did the humans call this season? Oh, yeah. Fall was one name, autumn was another name. Were they the same thing? He wondered. As he checked the nooks and crannies in the kitchen, his memory recorded each area where there was any scent of the mouse. Hum, between the dishwasher and the counter was a likely space and was full of rodent scent. That warm, musky smell that meant the chase was on. He would keep that in mind. He checked behind the cabinets, under the stove and refrigerator and found scent trails indicating that the mouse had recently traveled this way.
The hall leads to one bathroom and a bedroom. The bathroom had a crack under the counter holding the sink that could be a possible nest site. Okay, now for his favorite visitor's bedroom. He loved it when the boy came to visit. They played together and he loved to curl up beside him at night to keep him safe. The closet! Memories of past fall hunts came rushing back where he chased and caught another mouse in that closet. How dare the mouse come into the boy's room! This could not be tolerated. Carefully he checked out the closet, under the bed, and behind the night stand. So far, signs of a nest were not evident. That was good, but he would keep a vigilant eye on this room.
The next stop was the office where the man kept his tools and computer. Now this room was the perfect place for a nest. In the closet, there were boxes and various containers perfect for nesting in. They were so jumbled that it was hard for Cisco to get into the spaces where a mouse could hide, so he had to stake out the closet door from different places in the room in order to catch him. Now this area smelled of rodent! He had found the hiding place, now all that remained was to watch the area and stalk the mouse as he returned from a meal. That was the boring part.
Well, now that he was up, he might as well wake up the woman and get his breakfast fed to him. Padding softly, he entered the bedroom and jumped up on the bed. Gently he tapped her face with his paw, careful to keep his claws enclosed in their sheaths. One tap did not wake her, well, he would try tapping and yowling. That worked! Slowly she got out of bed and went into the kitchen. From the cabinet, she retrieved his bowl and his food bag. After filling his bowl, she placed it on the floor near the table. Happily he began to eat and purr. The woman checked his water, since it was low; she filled it with fresh clean water. Oh, the comforts of having a home and someone to wait on his every need. He was a very lucky cat!
After a visit to the litter box, Cisco went into the living room and climbed up in the woman's lap. Purring started as soon as the stroking of his fur began. He loved being tickled under his chin and having his ears scratched. Now he could settle back down for a little nap. Suddenly, a rush of cold air entered the room. The woman had opened the door to go to the mail box. The chill filled the room but Cisco was not bothered. He was warm in his chair with his blanket and the prospect of a warm fire being lit in the fireplace as the morning progressed.
The hunt for the mouse would continue this evening when the house went silent and the air became chilled. Napping during the day would prepare him for the joy of the hunt this evening. Maybe he would catch the mouse tonight, or maybe he would prolong the hunt for a few days. Fall was a welcome relief from the heat of the summer. It had been very hot this year and he spent many hours resting in cool, dark closets. Now he could enjoy both the days and nights because the chill of fall brought out the tiger in him. The mighty hunter would enjoy this and many other hunts before summer came again. Slowly he closed his eyes and drifted off to sleep, dreaming of the mouse and how he would capture it.