A Shrewd Awakening

This morning I awoke to the sound of my earth home cat Ozzy making a funny sound. It sounded like a muffled whimper – like the meows he makes when he tries to stalk birds living outside from inside the house. He knows its impossible for him to walk through glass, yet he constantly tries to outweigh the odds by batting his paws against the windows.

On this morning, however, I hadn’t slept well, so his unusual whining wasn’t convincing enough for me to turn my head, and I continued to close my eyes. Ozzy let out a second set of odd meows and I had had enough. I turned over and said, “Ozzy, can’t you wait for food?” when I noticed something brown and furry stuffed in his mouth. 

“WHAT IS THAT OZZY?!” I shouted.

Ozzy immidiately dropped whatever it was shoved in his mouth on to the floor and that’s when I saw it.  A little shrew frivolously ran in circles between the clothes on the floor and Ozzy’s feet. “Ozzy – get it!” I said from the bed. The cat snatched it up and held it proudly once again between it’s teeth. Ozzy caught something?! I couldn’t believe it!

Our earth home cat Ozzy woke me up this morning holding a shrew similar to this one in its mouth.

I would think such a sight would not be unusual for most cat owners, but it was a shocker for me. Ever since Ozzy was first given to my husband four years ago, he has lived a life of La-Z-Boy chairs and catfood. Once he killed a grasshopper in the grass, but it might have been because he sat it accidentally. If you think I’m kidding, I’ve included a picture of his life as a plump cat living with with my husband in his bachelor pad years ago before we were married.

THEN: A picture of our earth home cat, Ozzy, who once lived a life of La-Z-Boy luxury in my then-fiance's bachelor pad before we were married.

Having a cat in the earth home is a good thing. We had a feeling there might be critters running around inside at some point, but weren’t sure if Ozzy would up to the challenge of finding them. But clearly, nature and instinct has a way of overcoming nurture!

Back to the shrew running around on the floor – I picked up a shirt off the floor and threw it on the panic-stricken critter. “Wow Ozzy! Good job!” I told him.  It was a huge accomplishment for him and a big surprise for me!

I want to make it clear I, in no way, praise a cat who picks off song birds for fun or harrasses wildlife, but a cat who catches an unwanted intruder without killing it should be praised and rewarded. Ozzy was given heaps of food this morning along with a treat.

AFTER: A new, slim Ozzy watches over his proud catch that I put in a cooler - the only thing I could find at the time that the shrew wouldn't eat its way through.

Ozzy tried so hard to get the shrew back, but I couldn't let him have it again.

Yes, every day is a surprise here in the earth home. Now, what to do with this shrew?