Not a Creature was Stirring...

'Tis the season for trees and the trimmings, so my staff had to work through the shed that resides behind the animal hospital and dig out our Christmas decorations.  Each year, the Christmas stuff makes it's way to the most remote crevice in the back of the shed as it is used only once a year.  In front of the Christmas boxes, is all the other "stuff" from the past eleven months.  This year was no different and eleven months worth of "stuff" had to be battled through in order to liberate the season's decorations.

Kassy comes into the clinic dragging a large black plastic bag with the lower half of a fake tree sticking out the end of it.  She lays it on the floor in the office, and walks to the sink to wash her almost frostbitten hands in warm water.  Her cheeks are red and she sniffles as she talks about the battle of the shed.

Suddenly, Missy, who is on the phone with a potential adopter, squeaks, "I think there is a mouse in the Christmas Tree!"  Missy and the adopter continued to discuss the goings on, and the adopter found our predicament quite amusing.

In response to Missy's declaration, I turn around to see Missy perched on her feet on top of one of our office chairs.   These chairs are on wheels, and as the boss and owner of the clinic, I cannot help but think of the safety hazard that this position created.

I observe the bag on the floor that holds a small portion of the tree.  It looks as though it might be moving, and I think I  hear some of the tiny fake needles pinging musically within the bag as if something is rustling amongst the branches. 

Kassy, unaware of what is going on, walks out of the bathroom with a paper towel, drying her hands.  I point to the corner of the bag, and ask, "Is that moving?"

I was hoping she would say, "Yes, but a dog or cat is right next to it making it move."  But she didn't, and there wasn't.

Kassy and I observe the bag carefully.  It is not moving.

Phew, relief sets in!  We must have some imagination!

Then it happened!  It moved!  The bag moved!  And it moved a lot for a bag that held only a fake tree!  There is no way any of us could have missed that movement!

Kassy leaped back in surprise! 

I start shouting, "We need to get the tree outside!  Heidi, come help me!  We need to get the tree outside!" 

Somewhere, I hear an unidentified voice say, "There are enough cats in here, they'll catch it!" 

The thought of fighting a mouse problem or chasing a chipmunk in a building where I house a lot of dog and cat food was not settling well within me.  This tree and it's inhabitant NEEDED to move outside NOW!

Meanwhile, Missy had leaped off the office chair and, squealing the entire way, darted to the far back of the dental room to hide from this killer MOUSQUIRRATMUNK that was inhabiting the horizontal tree. 

I continued to call for help as I grabbed the pole at the base of the tree.  "Someone needs to grab the bag!  We need to get this thing out of the clinic!"

Finally, someone's hands grab the bag.  We start to lift the tree and the bag in unison, trying not to frighten the mousquirratmunk, propelling it out of the bag, and into the clinic where it could reside for the winter.

My eyes follow the helping hands, up the arm, passed the shoulder, and I am shocked!  There stands Missy, suddenly quiet and suddenly brave!  The fact that I was at the end of the parcel from which the critter would surface, run up the pole of the tree, onto my hand and up my arm, shoulder, onto my neck to lunge for my jugular vein may have enhanced her courage!  Just sayin'.

As the tree and the bag come off the ground, we slowly start to move that large parcel towards the door, so we can free this critter into it's natural habitat...OUTSIDE. 

Suddenly, a furry body comes flying out of the bag, out from under the tree, and four women SQUEEEEAAAALLL with fear!  It was a large furry body, and it moved fast!  It was out of the bag! 

Darn it all!  (not quite the words I was thinking or saying, but there it is)

Hearts were pounding, eyes were dilated, and all four of us are now standing about three feet further from the bag than we were just moments ago!  My mind is getting ready to make my body scream, "GET THE LIVE TRAPS! MOVE ALL OUR ANIMALS OUT OF HERE!"

And then I see it...

I see Paris.

No, not the city.  I am not unconscious and dreaming of the vacation of which I am in such dire need.

I see Paris.

The cat...

I see Paris.

The Torti Point Siamese...

I see Paris.

The Mousquirratmunk...

In the very brief time period during which that tree rested on the floor, Paris had made her way into the bag without us hearing or seeing her, and proceeded to scare the bejeebers out of ALL of us! 

Paris, the Mousquirratmunk, got adopted today.  She was adopted on the very day that I had decided to take her home.  I had made the decision to take her home this morning, before this silly event had taken place, and before I knew a nice gentleman had recently lost his Siamese and would see her photo...

While I know that she is in a good home, I am saddened by her adoption.  I hold no resentment for the kind gentleman that adopted her.  It was difficult to watch her go, because I felt as though she was my cat already, simply because I had made up my mind to make her mine.  Even though she had not resided at my house yet, she was my cat in my head and in my heart.  With this crazy stunt she pulled, I knew she was goofy enough to be part of my family, despite my husband's protests about exceeding the CCL, the Comfortable Cat Limit.

The truth is, despite my feelings of loss, I am thrilled for Paris, and for her new family .  She went home with a single gentleman that just lost his Siamese cat. He had seen her photograph on http://www.jewellanimalhospital.petfinder.com/ and came to the clinic to meet her and take her home. He had glowing references and fell in love with her immediately, just like I did.

Paris has a new Dad, and six feline siblings.  Apparently, the gentleman's CCL is higher than my husband's...  His CCL is firmly set at seven cats.  I think this entitles me to two more cats?  Am I right?  I was never very good at math.

Thanks for the memorable last day with us, Paris. I will really miss you.

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