Sarillia

I didn't tell you that the squirrels basically dismantled the trap I got. I found it upside down and the release mechanism in pieces a good 6 feet away.

This morning we heard a large metallic thump. I figured it was snow and/or ice falling off the roof onto the air conditioner. A bit later we noticed the cats acting strange and focusing on the grate in the living room that leads to the basement. We could hear something moving around down there. Ugh. Something was loose in the basement. We were just heading out for a walk, so we decided we'd let the cats go down there later when we could keep an eye on them.

Later in the afternoon the cats were still obsessed with the vent and there were more, louder noises. I finally put two and two together and realized that a squirrel had gotten into the vent they had chewed through, and fallen from the third floor to the basement and was now running around in the basement vents!

So what could I do? Of course I called my father. Mom & Dad came over with tools and a giant garbage can in hand. We locked Ozzie on the porch, for his own safety and then found the squirrel conveniently huddled in a flexible, easily removed section of vent. We all gathered to hold the garbage can and a cover for it while Poppa took apart and prodded the squirrel loose.

Well the squirrel came loose, but missed the can and took off for a corner of the basement. I have to say squirrels move fast and quietly. I started working on getting the cellar door open, but before we knew anything, it had gotten up the stairs and crawled under the basement door.

Crap! It was in the main part of the house! We opened the front and back doors. Mom took a post at the stairs, hopefully, preventing the battle from moving to the second floor. It is hard to heard squirrels. Really, really hard. It ran all over the place. Climbed the living room curtains, jumped over me, then Peder, and tried to run through the doors to the porch (freaking out poor Ozzie). It took forever to get this stupid squirrel out the door. Looking back, it was completely hilarious.

I'm glad we got it out, but I know it's just going to go right back to the attic. I did plug up the vent with insulation so hopefully we won't have to go through this again.