Last week I had to go out of town overnight for my job.On the day I left it was nice so I left the basement door open while I took care of the chickens and rabbits.It could not have been more than an hour. I don't have a screen or storm door with my basement door but I do have another door.It is solid at the bottom but has plastic lattice at the top half.It is nice for airflow in the summer or for when it is not so cold.It has been that way for years.My basement cats stay in and my outside cats stay out.
The next night I was home and when I went down to my basement I first saw black bits and pieces of something on the floor and thought what the heck is that?Then I saw that the new tote I bought in the fall for BOSS and scratch feed had a hole chewed in the top!I said a lot more than "what the heck"!
It's like what in the world varmint did that? A big rat? Surely not a squirrel because I would think the yappy dogs in there (They have been inside due to the extreme temps.) would deter something coming in.
I have 2 cats that would have had a birds eye view of that tote as I have a blanket for them at the top of the stairs.I thought this is bizarre.Trees of any size are not even close to this door.At one time my Siberian cat Boris would have taken door most anything but he is coming 13 yrs. and has not gotten his weight back after being sick last summer.I know Gussie my 9 yr. old Persian would not be a big hunter but what could it be?
I got my young cat Johny from outside and put him in there because he is young and very big and strong.No dead varmint from Johny so I put him back out.
I sprinkled DE over the tote near the hole so I could possibly see tracks if the varmint was alive.(Johny could have killed something but my basement has plenty of hiding places.) I know cats like to show their kills but there weren't any tracks on the DE so then I thought maybe the varmint came in through my dryer vent and had left.Who knows? I've lived him over 25 yrs. and only one time did an unfortunate large mouse come in.
For me to upload pics on here is a nightmare but I will try so you can see the hole:Here-
Well never mind the pics.I have written down the steps and tried to follow to post pics. but I will die of old age before I learn how.Makes me nuts .
