My mom can relax now
So apparently a mouse had nested in one of my mom's folding chairs in the shed, and when she brought the chair into the house, the mouse ran off into Dominic's room. She said she thought it was a vole. So just a few minutes ago there was this little squeak from the corner here in the living room, where I am working on the manuscript I'm editing... and instantly all three cats were ON IT. Cory, the gentlest cat ever, and the only one without claws, went in all ninja-stealthy into the disarray in the corner (tray tables, a big clock, buncha stuff leaning against the wall at the end of the sofa) and came running out. He had something in his mouth. I heard another squeak. The other two cats followed him like magnets into the other bedroom, which was dark. I ran in after them, but I could barely see. I made out the shape of Cory, and he definitely had something in his mouth. I grabbed the scruff of his neck and shook him a little, trying to get him to drop it. He did, and a little dark shape darted between my legs. I quickly tried to trap it with my hands, but it kept hopping out, and it was dark and I couldn't see where it went. I called out to wake up Dominic and tell him that I needed his help, and finally he got the light on. There was some scrap wood on the floor from a project Dominic and I had been working on last week, and I moved one of the pieces of wood aside and sure enough, crouching behind it against the wall, was a tiny, dark gray mouse. With the light on it was quite easy to trap him in my hands, and then I had Dominic open the front door for me and turn on the outside light so I could let the little guy loose. I gently tossed him out onto the ground and he sat there, looking kind of freaked out, and then he ran away. I don't think Cory hurt him, though I have no doubt that he would have killed him eventually (probably not on purpose, just playing) had I not stepped in. Anyway, mom, it was a mouse, and he is no longer in the house.