On arrival, we discovered some tiny animal droppings on top of the cupboard and tooth-marks around an open can of milk that ha been left. The first night there were scrabblings, and tiny turds on the milk can next morning. Phred [the cat] seemed to have spent a restless night – he was interested in the wood pile and the area under our cupboard –boxes. After one night when nothing was left out, we once more forgot to put out our ‘rubbish can’ above the stove and when Mario turned the light on, we could see a tail and backlegs protruding from it.
Although Mario crept up quietly, the mouse heard him, ran down the wall and under one of the boxes. Phred watched with us for some time, but our visitor seems to have gone out through the wall. From then, ALL food was covered at night and we appear not to have been visited for a while. Then late on a showery afternoon, Phred, outside, frightened a mouse who ran in through the wall and took shelter under the camp oven.
We called Phred, and after his attention was drawn, removed the camp oven. Mouse and cat exploded in activity across the floor, under the bed and up the wall where the mouse narrowly escaped through a chink between upright and stringy-bark. Phred watched the wall disconsolately for a while.
We had no more visits from the mouse during the trip, and are confident that Phred will prove himself valuable as a safeguarder of family food stores.
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