The mystery in my kitchen

[whitecree]

Here's a little whodunit to keep you busy for the weekend.

Since the weather was halfway nice this morning, milady wife had me shut down the furnace while she opened all the doors and windows to give the house a good airing out, a preliminary rite to beginning spring cleaning. Then I went out for my morning constitutional.

I just got in and had my feet up with a mug of coffee in one hand and an old issue of WCI in the other. The rest of the family was in varous places, but nobody was in the kitchen. 2 of my 3 cats were curled up and snoring either in my lap or beside me.

So, I just get to an interesting bit on a carving how-to in the mag, when I hear a funny scrittling noise from the kitchen. Sort of like somebody is stirring cat kibble around in a dish. I smirk a bit, thinking it is that fussy tomcat, he likes the tuna flavour bits, but not the beef flavour bits of the kibble, so he is routing through the dish looking for the goodies.

Problem is, he is the one who is snoring in my lap.

Aha! I say to myself, its cat#1, just come inside and having breakfast. I turn the page, and continue reading.

But now, that kibble-being-stirred noise seems to be moving around. Cat chasing the supper dish across the floor, perhaps?

Nope. The sound is moving in a straight line - as near as I can tell - from where the cat dish is, and the back door. Cat taking some chow out for her buddies?

Then I notice cat#2, the one that was snoozing beside me, is now wide awake, alert, and looking interested in the little noises. His tail is staring to twitch, as well as his whiskers. Cat#3 now wakes up and starts sniffing.

Now I hear a light thump, a slightly heavier thud, a slithering noise, and a loud BANG! from just outside the door. Then a raspy mewling sort of noise that fades away rather quickly, but keeps on going at a distance.

Figuring cat#1 had brought a few of her buddies in for a snack, I got up, went around the corner to see what the heck is going on.

Sure enough, there is a trail of cat kibble leading to the door. On closer examination, there is kibble scattered all across the kitchen floor. There's also some on the back step. An old broom I keep out back for sweeping the steps is half in the door, leaning against the BBQ. Cats #2 & 3 are quivering like mad, the tom scampers out the door looking for trouble. Of cat#1, there is no sign.

After studying the mess a bit, and looking outside at what was still making that raspy noise, I figured it out. Care to guess what happened before I reveal the somewhat amusing answer?

[Hi_Ho_Sliver]

no..............

[Mitchell]

Sounds like an "outside" visitor came for a free meal.

[Nancy-ID]

Squirrel . . .???

[Kenny_S]

Well, me dear old grand mother on me mother's side, did a lot of cooking, Love the lady but it sure was a mystery what she cooked. Sad thing was she would always say, "eat up, I cooked enough for an army"!No matter what time of the day ot was, we had to eat.
When I got in the Army and was in Nam, we had c-rats(C rations). I always wonder if dear granny was hired by the army to cook them and put the C-Rats together because it was a mystery what kind of meat was in them.

Sorry WC, Maybe it was a new meal that come a visiting. eh?

[Doug Ridley]

Sounds to me like you had a Raccoon for a visitor.

[Mitchell]

I forgot to add the "raccoon" part about the outside visitor.

We have one that raids the bird feeder on occasion, but prefers the neighbors cat food.

[Claude]

I think it was a possum.

Claude

[Hi_Ho_Sliver]

Originally Posted by Claude

I think it was a possum.

Claude

You mean.......whitecree?....is ...is....playing possum?Sarcastic

[Thomp]

got to be a skunk.....