It started so innocently. Jessie was on the bed with her catnip mouse. It's a fluffier clone of Pouncer's (the one Charlie took over) and blue and Jessie loves it! Loved it, that is.
![](http://photos1.blogger.com/img/65/2653/320/IMG_2436.jpg)
The mouse
Anyway, Charlie came in and ran over to see Jessie. Remembering the mouse, I headed over for a rescue - but the mouse was already gone!
Charlie had it and was going to town with it. I tried to get him to drop it, but the more I tried, the harder he worked to keep it away from me. He was careful not to let any little bit hang out of his mouth for me to grab, so I started working on his jaws. He nipped me and I let go, thinking I'd get a better angle on the mouse anyway. He'd surely have to adjust it in his mouth and then I'd have it.
I had him pinned and was going in for the mouse regardless of teeth when, gulp, he swallowed it! Swallowed it!! Down the hatch! I couldn't believe it, but I felt the lump in his throat momentarily. I got his mouth open and reached in, but there was nothing but tongue and teeth. I stuck my fingers down his throat, but to no avail.
So off to the vet we rushed. With Charlie and the mouse clone. Dr. O couldn't believe it, "Are you sure he ate it?" He smiled and shook his head, "Better leave him here; this could take a while." Within a half hour, they had gotten him to throw it up. Then they kept him until 3 to make sure he was ok. As usual, I think they just wanted to pet and play with him more.
At 3 pm we retrieved Charlie and mouse.
![](http://photos1.blogger.com/img/65/2653/320/IMG_2439.jpg)
The mouse - after
"He's just fine. He's been back there barking his head off all day," Dr. O said. And he was fine. But Jessie needs a new mouse. And she's not going to get one until Charlie can be trusted not to eat it. And Pouncer's ex-mouse - that's history too; confiscated for the foreseeable future. Maybe 2010.