Morning in the valley, finds me sitting outside in my comfy overstuffed chair with springs sproinging . The doors to my barn are open on this fine day as I sip my espresso, Globe & mail in hand, reveling in the warmth of the sun...when I hear this funny squeaking...like an angry baby rubber duck being squeezed repeatedly. I know that Cali had been stalking something all morning , patiently guarding the door to the den .
Apparently whatever it was far from dead, possibly uninjured enough for me to save. I find Cali sprawled like a lioness surveying her domain swatting lazily at this 3 inch shrew. Then I watch in amazement as this woodland rodent refuses to run or freeze at Cali’s laconic swipes. In fact, the shrew charges angrily at the cat with those aggressive rubber ducky squeaks, scolding this goliath 50 times his size! Cali, confused, actually backs down, but the shrew keeps coming after her...-going for her paws. (I’m sure the bite of a shrew through her fur would be barely a tickle) . Every time Cali bats him away ( less play now, more self-defense and cat’s pride) he charges again...-brilliant! This one truly deserves a second chance! (though my friend Val who hates rodents might disagree).
Now I’m beginning to wonder if there’s such a thing as a rabid shrew, after witnessing such bizarre behavior. So I’m a bit reluctant to catch it barehanded. I use the newspaper to keep Cali off, and corner him on the stone steps, using a blanket to capture it (nothing smaller at hand). “O.K.”, the fiesty shrew says..”bring it on”. This little fuzzy thing is taking me on now, thumping and squeaking in the blanket, saying “let me at you!”.
I walk into the nearby woods hoping to find a place where he can find shelter, and when I shake him out of the blanket onto the ground, he runs directly at me! That’s it...run headlong and face the danger! I’m impressed and inspired by the fiestiness of this creature, and hope he survives to fight another day!
