Was wrapping up stuff before going to bed last night, when I heard a minor kerfuffle at the cat door into the garage — the sort of bat-bat-flap-flap-hiss-hiss that marks Indy and Mimi bumping noses. (They are generally pretty tolerant of each other, but occasionally have a minor tiff.)
I went over and there was Mimi sitting in the back hall, tail all bushy. I opened the door into the garage and looked around, thinking to either see Indy or, perhaps, a neighborhood cat who’d come in.
Well, I was on the right track, as there was another flap-flap of motion by the cat door to the side yard, and in poked a little pointy black nose. Yes, our friends the raccoons are back.
I dropped the blast door over the cat flap, peered under the cars to make sure no other visitors were inside, and gave Mimi quick verbal praise before she ran for shelter up and under the dining room table.
We’ve been keeping the door on night lockdown for a while anyway — in particular to keep Mimi in at night, but also because of episodes like this. It will probably stay that way while we are off on vacation.
*shakes fist at the racoons* Get off Dave’s lawn you darn Racoons!
Now you know why Mother Nature makes them wear those masks . . . . so noone will recognize her kids.
“Close the blast doors! Close the blast doors!”
You know, “Mimi and the Night Visitor” would be a great title for a children’s book.
Our outdoor kitty flap is between two narrow joist in the garage, framed top and bottom inside, with a space for us to drop a 1/2″ piece of plywood down inside of it to close it — hence our regular use of the “blast doors” metaphor.