Creature Double Feature

I was woken up at 5:45AM by the patter of little feet above me. Several times in the past few weeks I’ve gone up in the attic and found nothing, but I couldn’t get back to sleep and was determined to find the cause – couldn’t decide what to do until I knew what it was, bird, rodent or midget. The ladder was already upstairs, so I set it up, got a flashlight, a metal rod, and a Nerf gun – I wasn’t fooling around. Got up in the attic and the sound was louder. I flipped the flashlight on, turned to my right, and there 10 feet away was a raccoon. I was quick on the draw, and shot a Nerf dart at it. No response (I think I hit it). As it turns out, it was a she – a mom, as soon I could see at least two cubs nearby. I growled at them, but mama didn’t move, and the cubs came closer. I wasn’t going to hit them, so I retreated.

I wasn’t sure what to do next. I called animal control, they told me if they weren’t in the finished part of the house, they wouldn’t come out and I’d need to call someone to do pest control. I looked online and saw some trapped the raccoons humanely, and other people begged to leave them alone as the cubs would soon be gone. But I want my attic frey of creatures gnawing on things if they’re not paying rent. I talked to Jill after she got home from class, and we’re not sure what to do yet. May have to move up the scheduled roof replacement.

She walked Illa when she got home, then I walked him while she made dinner. I thought he was walking a little funny at the end, but I when I took the harness off, he was still walking funny, and it got worse, then he couldn’t climb the stairs. We were very worried and called the vet to find the recommended emergency place. We chose Leesburg over Vienna and ended up at Animal Emergency Hospital. We arrived at the beginning of a big influx, and it took a while for them to see us. The doctor examined Illa, and watched him walk around, but whatever it had been (cramp? pinched nerve?) seemed to be fading. Just in case, they drew blood and induced vomiting, but everything was clean.

We didn’t get home until 11, and ran around getting dinner warmed up and a lunch for Jill. I wasn’t hungry for pasta by then and had some applesauce and yogurt with strawberries and Splenda. Jill just had to print some stuff off for class and now is in bed, and I’ll follow soon.