It had to be snakes

Over the years I've become pretty good at catching snakes. I've had to develop this skill as my kitties like catching snakes. And yes, I know what the poisonous ones look like too.

Yesterday, Keith left the garage door open at cat's height since they prefer to use the garden instead of the litterbox, and we quite agree with that. I was sitting outside, enjoying the coolness after a brief storm, when I heard an odd squealing. Those of you with kitties know that sound. It's a happy and excited cat talking with her mouth full of prey. "Look mom! I've brought you a goodie! I'm taking it inside for you!"

Keith and I translate this into "run like hell and block off all other entrances so we have a chance to catch whatever the present is this time." I race to the basement, yelling to Keith as I go, "Lily's got something, and she's bringing it in!"

Lily had caught a snake. What I'm pretty sure was an Eastern Kingsnake. Keith got Lily, and I got the snake. I first picked it up with a dustpan, but it was one active snake. As I got near the back door, it wiggled right over the edge of the dustpan and into a pile of extension cord. Great. Well, it's not poisonous, so I grab it with my bare hand and put it back on the dustpan. I'm sure it would still hurt if I got bitten. I raced outside, but the darn thing wiggled off the dustpan before I got it as far into the backyard as I would have liked. It didn't appear to be injured. I didn't see any puncture marks like I do see on snakes sometimes after they've been caught. I think the snake was fine after it's adventure. As for Lily, the minute we opened up the basement again, she was down there looking all around for her snake. Poor kitty. I really didn't want to spend time at the emergency animal clinic having a snake bite treated. I've been there, done that with Scooter - twice. (He really loved to catch snakes in his younger days.) As for me, while snake catching is not a hobby I really enjoy, I'm not too bad at it. I'm just so thankful it wasn't a poisonous one. I'm not ready for that.