Of Mice and Me

Woken up from a 'catch-up' nap this morning by the sound of one of my cats excitedly jumping about just outside the bedroom door. Saw he was trying to squeeze a paw behind the floor-level gas meter, running from one side to the other. Wasn't too surprised soon to see a little furry ball scamper out to a more secure hiding place. This is the third within two months. The first was a half-dead one left on the kitchen carpet after both cats had poked and podded it and then got bored when it stopped reponding, but I could see it still breathing. Its presence in that state sorely tried my passionate zoophilia but (rather cowardly in hindsight) I scooped it up in a dustpan and chucked it out into the back garden. The second was a couple of weeks later when one morning I saw this little furry pile in the middle of the kitchen, this time totally still, so had fewer qualms in giving it the same treatment. At first I thought the cats were bringing me 'gifts' in return for my hospitality, but now today yet another one! And it's still here somewhere, the cat having caught it and taken it in its jaws into the kitchen, but released it there where it scuttled into hiding again - and who could blame it? - where it still remains. But is there a nest of them in this flat? I've lived in 14 different domiciles in my life so far, but never been troubled with mice till now. Spiders and cockroaches, yes, but this is something new. Don't fancy getting a mousetrap as I can't bear the thought of removing a slaughtered one from it. Feel I'm again going to take the coward's way out and hope that the cats root it out and remove it - though not holding my breath about the last part.