Playing Cat and Mouse Florida Rules

Joy of joys, Pixie caught a lizard yesterday, who had the unfortunate privilege of getting into the catio. There is a big enough crack under the screen door that small lizards can get in and small lizards do things like that. I grew up with jalousie windows, which are also known in Florida as lizard graveyards. They get in while they're small then never escape. As a kid, whenever I'd go around the house washing windows for extra money, I'd have to sweep out the lizard skeletons first. There would usually be three or four dried up skeletons to discard from the whole house. I was happy when I could just wash the windows and screens and not also have to remove skeletons. Anyway, Pixie came in the kitty door from the catio with a live one in her mouth yesterday. Don't you know that made her entire week to catch a lizard out there? It has given her a new lease on life! She quickly drew the attention of at least half of the cat population in the house. She played cat and lizard with it for a while until Little Grey got in there somehow and ran off with the lizard in his mouth. He played with it for a while and then all was quiet again. I think it got away again, but then some time in the night was discovered again. 

When I got up this morning, the now dead lizard was tangled up in one of da kitz' drawstrings (from shorts or sweat pants). The meeps were taking turns flicking the string with the lizard accessory around the room. Finally, Chi separated lizard and string and carried it off to put in a box. Only the box wouldn't cooperate, so she carried it down the hallway, meeping all the way. She ended up in her mommy's bedroom with her treasure. Her mother graciously acknowledged the gift, but gave her permission to keep playing with it, so Chi came back out to the living room with it. I've sort of lost track of it now. I'm keeping a leery eye on my bed just in case one of them decides it's my turn to play with it. Ack! I don't mind so much allowing them to run around the house with it, but I'd like to keep it out of my bed, even now that I know that it is merely a dead lizard. Before I confirmed that it was indeed a lizard and not a small frog, Pixie managed to fling the still live prey in my direction. I am embarrassed to admit that I screamed like a little girl when it flew in my direction. I don't mind lizards, but I've never been overly fond of frogs. Things calmed down again when the dreaded second leap never materialized, much to my relief. 

The day has come to an end and I haven't had a glimpse of the expired lizard for many hours. The last time I saw it, Chi had knocked it under one of the recliners. It will probably remain there now until one of the cats gets under there and discovers it again or the chair is moved and cleaned under. My money is on the cats finding it again and resuming their cat and lizard game. I have to say that Chi is a really talented lizardball player. She uses both paws alternately and runs down the hall as though she is Mia Hamm about to score a goal. Very talented and ambidextrous little girl. She never ceases to amaze me with her intelligence and skill.