Vole!

I had just grabbed my computer bag and was heading upstairs to go to work at the library, when I heard Cassidy's distinctive loud thump-thump-thumping descent. I thought she was coming to remind me to give them a snack before leaving for the afternoon. Instead she was bringing me a gift -- a fat little vole!  Not far behind was Sundance, checking it all out.

A vole is a small rodent resembling a mouse but with a stouter body, a shorter, hairy tail, a slightly rounder head, smaller ears and eyes. There are approximately 155 species of voles. They are sometimes known as meadow mice or field mice in North America. Vole species form the subfamily Arvicolinae with the lemmings and the muskrats.

The vole was wounded, though not dead. I scooped it up in some paper towels, took it outside and disposed of it. Then I gave each cat a snack. Which may be a mistake. They may interpret that as a reward and start hauling in other rodents, snakes and what-have-you.

One of the joys of having cats and living in the country!