This evening cats were playing with something under the shopping trolley in the hall. I went to pick it up - it was small, furry and moved! I did what most women do in these circumstances and gave a shriek! I then caught the mouse.
It is very, very small, with grayish fur and a wound on its back. I held in one hand cupped against my tummy while I went down into the basement and got the plastic, rats' travelling case I used to take the rats down to Cornwall all those years ago. I then screwed up newspaper, put that inside, then put in the mouse and took the case up to the spare bedroom. I put water in one plastic bottle lid and oats and houmous in another. When I put that in the case the mouse was not hidden in the newspaper but just in front of it.
It is probably in deep shock. Though it might be suffering from poisoning. It'll probably die tonight. If it does live, I hope it doesn't get out of the air holes in the case! If it survives till Thursday, when I have a day off, I'll have to take the bus up to the pet shop at Chingford Mount to get a proper mouse cage for it. The problem is giving it enough attention when I can't have it and the cats in the same room!
I've just looked up house mouse on google, and I think it is one. So letting it go in Epping Forest when it has healed seems cruel (I still feel guilty about the mouse I did catch in a human mouse trap years ago which I let go under the hedge of a school playground).
I don't think they'll allow me to have it in the office!
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