Earlier this month my friend Karin sent the cats some toys for Christmas, including these wonderful purple mice that became an immediate surprise hit with Loki, and so I quickly adapted the string game to include the little rodents. Luna still prefers the string, but Loki is just mad about the mice and will sit at the bottom of the stairs mieowing for someone to come and play with him. Bless.

However, soon Karin’s mice were found ear-less and tail-less, disembowelled and floating in the water dish. Since I couldn’t find any replacements I dutifully re-stuffed and stitched up the little frankenmäusen because Loki was bereft without them. And he honestly doesn’t care what they look like as long as they fly up the stairs properly and feel satisfying in his mouth as he trots back down with them. But I knew it was only a matter of time before they became unsalvageable and was dreading the arrival of that day.

Then yesterday I was heading up calle Feria to meet my friend Markus for lunch and spotted the little pet supply shop that had opened last month. Somehow I had missed this place in my search for replacement meeces. So I popped in and struck gold. There was a whole basket of them at 75 cents each! I stopped myself from buying the entire stock and ended up with these three. So far wee grey mouse is the new favourite toy around here (am saving the other two for back-up) with Loki tirelessly chasing it up the stairs, or else batting it around on the floor when the humans get tired. And having a dangly tail makes it extra appealing (that won’t last long). I just love that Loki has found a way of getting daily exercise that’s fun for everybody.

Speaking of which, after ten days of illness-induced sloth I am heading back to the gym today. Yay!