Oscar is a squirrel who was rescued by me when he was just a baby. My cat, Ashley, raised him and they became friends. When Ashley pass away I took over his training. Teaching him to be a squirrel is another story. Let me get you caught up on Oscar.
He and my 200 pound, ancient, gray hound Sweet Pea are best friends. Sweet Pea moves very slowly these days and no long jumps on anything. I have to feed her in bed. Really. She has a bowl on the bed that she lays down beside so she can lower her head into the bowl and eat. She gets medication for her arthritis which does help when she has to get on the matteress under the ac unit in the front bedroom. What I have told you so far lets you know fur people are special in this house. I am the keeper not the queen of the house. Ashley was queen. Now, we have a new queen.
I was thrilled last Spring when I saw Oscar out playing with the squirrels in the yard. He had finally been accepted. I enjoyed watching him play squirrel games. I was amazed at how many facial expressions and hand gestures they make that are almost human. The storm that took out my power the last time... when we had the snakes... is the one that made Oscar move back in the house.
He had become accustom to riding on Sweet Pea's back. I told you all about that one before. Well, this is really my fault. Precious, my 125 pound pit bull kept knocking the cat tree over when she stretched out on the bed. She would push it with both front feet and it would go flying off the night stand and onto the floor. I got tired of picking it up. Throw it away? Never. Not in my nature. You would not believe some of the stuff I have hung onto. I have lost a lot over the years from one move or another. But if I think there is a chance I might be able to use something again someday... I find a place for it until then. Therefore... the cat tree was going to the laundry room. There was no room on any of the shelves out there unless I empty the box with all those Christmas decorations. We know that is not going to happen. I could not make up my mind what to move or where to move it. So, I put it down on top of the dryer until I could decide.
Oscar was on Sweet Pea's back when she passed by the dryer. He spotted the cat tree. He scampered to the top of Sweet Pea's head and took a flying leap to the top of the dryer. He scampered all over the cat tree. Now, he had seen it before but for some reason it was all new to him. He got all excited running from the top plank to the cubby hole and back again. It was all covered with carpet... posts and all. Four posts hold up the patio and three more posts hold up the balcony.
Within the hour Oscar started bringing in twigs and snatching tuffs of fur from Sweet Pea. Oscar kept Sweet Pea going back and forth to the yard all day. She is shedding so it is very easy to get the fur. I sweep up enough for a fur coat of my own every morning. I placed a small bowl of water and a tiny plastic bowl of peanuts just outside the opening to the cubby hole.
I guess from a squirrel's point of view the cat tree was a real uptown property. You could have knocked me over with a feather when I discovered a 'new' squirrel living in the cat tree. I startled her as much as she startled me. She instantly went into panic. She ran from to the top patio back to the enclosed area then back out again. I could tell she felt trapped. I quickly left the room to watch from a distance through the open doorway. She came out and looked everywhere. She then started chatting loudly.
Suddenly, through the doggy door came Oscar. He looked around and started squealing. Sweet Pea came rushing in and put her nose down. Oscar jump on board and walked four feet and stopped. Sweet Pea waited patiently while Oscar jumped onto the dryer. She starts in by hitting Oscar with her head, flickering her tail, waving her hands in the air and chatting at him so fast I was afraid she would bite her tongue. Oscar lowered his head and allowed this behavior. She then pinched his nose with her fingers and he squealed in pain. That is when I stepped into the room. I had some more nuts in my hand. She disappeared into the cubby hole. I stroked Oscar where she could see me being kind and handed him each peanut one at a time. I could see only her head as it twitched back and forth following my hand.
This went on for a couple of hours. Oscar would scream for his taxi. The Shrew would come out of the cubby hole and hit Oscar and scream. We all finally went out out side. We ignored her. It did not help. I brought some rose buds in and put them in water. I know how much squirrels like to smell things. Sure enough she started sniffing the roses. She figured out pretty quickly that a squeal of pain from Oscar would bring me into the room. I am not sure yet if this is a good thing or a bad thing for Oscar. I had a few more tricks up my sleeve to help this little she-devil. I call her that because she is always raising .... the .. ah ah roof ... so-to-speak.
He has taught her how to use the kittybox. When Oscar is outside he goes outside. When he is inside he uses the kittybox. Either that or when it rains. He must hate going in the rain. I have tried to put away the kittybox to force him to go outside. He very carefully uses newspaper or a scrap of paper and places it where the kittybox was. It is much easier to provide the kittybox.
I thought I would help out with the transportation problem. Poor Sweet Pea seemed happy to help her friends but she was not getting all her much needed nap time. I ordered a set of pet stairs over the internet. That did help. However, it was not quiet tall enough. So, I go to my fix it drawer.
You know the drawer with the duct tape, shot gun shells, (I am from Texas), the hammer and the nails. I had saved some small wood planks that were originally used to go around a flower bed. I had a jig saw (surprised you on that one) and cut some in two pieces. I nailed them into steps that would lead from the stairs to the top of the dryer. I then got on the phone to ask a friend of mine for some carpet scraps to cover the steps.
The conversation about the carpet scraps went something like this.
"Bubba, I need some of your old carpet scraps for a project I am working on."
"Jane, so good to hear from ya'. What you up to girl?"
"I am building some steps for Oscar's girlfriend to get in and out of bed."
"Oscar, who the heck is Oscar? You got a tenant? Is he so old he needs steps to get out of bed? Oh, Jane you pour dear. I will be glad to help you build anything your guys' need."
"Oscar is my pet squirrel. He lives in a cat tree on top of the dryer. He rides on Sweet Pea to get up and down. I bought some pet steps to help him and his girlfriend get up and down without calling the dog. I got the steps done. All I need is the carpet to cover the wood steps."
I hear breathing. "Bubba, Are you there?"
"Jane, do you know who the president is? Do you know what day it is? Jane, have you fallen lately? Jane are you sure you are all right. Jane you stay there...my wife and I will be right there."
About twenty minutes later...I had company. Bubba and his wife Cherry were the wonderful people who helped me move here. He had put my fence in for me and the doggy door. They both came rushing up the steps. I was watching from a lazy boy in the living room. I stayed there and watched as Oscar opened the front door, Sweet Pea stepped back so they could come in across the threshold. Oscar, on Sweet Pea's back chatted up a storm that translated into "welcome."
Bubba and Cherry closed the front door behind them and stood there with their mouth open as they observed Oscar.
"The President is Trump, it is Wednesday, and I feel just fine. Now, sit down and let me fill you in on a few things." I got up and went to the kitchen and brought out three coffee cups along with the cream and sugar and a pot of coffee. I sat back down and grinned at them. I was thrilled I remembered to put my teeth in before they got here.
I eventually had them follow me to the laundry room to show them the problem. It took very little for us to complete the little steps. Bubba, whos real name is Jerry, really went into a tail spin when I told him about the snakes, getting bit, and the hospital. Bubba, as everyone calls him, went to work to finish the steps and get them attached. It was a very good job too. I was thrilled. They were amazed they had an audience the whole time they were there. By the time they left I got hugs and well wishes and a promise they would be more diligent about checking in on me.
They had been gone for almost an hour when I heard that familiar squeal. There she was on top of the new steps screaming for Oscar. I know it was for Oscar because her taxi squeal is different. Oscar scampered up the new steps (he had already tested them) met her where she was frozen. He took her by the hand and lead her down the steps all the way to the floor. He then held the doggy door open for her to go through. Instead she stomped over to the kittybox that Bubba had moved to work on the steps. She did not want to go out at all. It was a restroom call. She did her business and then stomped over to the base of the steps. She squealed. Oscar scampered over to her... nuddged her with his head. He put his little arms around her and snuggled his nose into her face. He then turned and let out a squeal. Sweet Pea arrived. Oscar got on board and they left her standing at the base of the steps. She stood there squealling her head off. Oscar waved both hands up at me and chattered a bit. I understood. I moved the kittybox back to its corner of the shelf behind the dryer, refilled the water, and the roses.
I took a chance. I lowered my hand, palm up, and put her on it. I raised her up to the base of the second set up steps. She jumped off. She looked at me and did a little chatter. She then scampered up the rest of the steps and back into the cubby hole. Then one at a time I placed each nut right outside the cubby hole. She would snatch it and duck back inside.
A few minutes later she came out. She did not say a word. She sat there like a nice little shrew and waited for me to finish filling the food bowl and leave. She came down the steps by herself twice already. She seems to like her new highrise. She has a different squeal for Oscar now. He comes a running when she does it sweet. He ignores anything else. She is learning. I know she is. I just thought of something. Maybe I am the one who was trained. I am the one who watches the clock to make sure all little bowls are full and the kittybox clean by 11 AM because that is the time she wakes up. I wonder which shrew is being trained?
I still have not come up with a name but she really needs one. Anyone got an idea?
Tags: Fur People
